Common Fisheries Policy

Common Fisheries Policy
Name	Common Fisheries Policy
Type	European Union policy
Jurisdiction	European Union
Administering agency	European Commission
Key document	Treaty of Rome
Established	1970

Common Fisheries Policy. The Common Fisheries Policy is the framework established by the European Union for the management of European fishing fleets and the conservation of fish stocks. Formed under the provisions of the Treaty of Rome, it is a cornerstone of the EU's common policies, designed to oversee a shared resource. Its evolution has been shaped by international law, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and continuous political negotiation among member states.

History and development

The foundations were laid with the Treaty of Rome in 1957, which included fisheries as part of the Common Agricultural Policy. The policy truly began to take shape after the accession of the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Ireland in 1973, which brought significant fishing waters into the European Economic Community. A formal structure was established in 1970, but it was the extension of Exclusive Economic Zones to 200 nautical miles in the late 1970s, following trends set by Iceland and Norway, that necessitated a comprehensive system. Major reforms occurred in 1983, introducing the principle of relative stability, and again in 2002 and 2013, driven by crises in stocks like North Sea cod.

Objectives and principles

The primary objectives are to ensure sustainable fishing from an environmental, economic, and social perspective. Key principles include sustainable exploitation aligned with the Maximum Sustainable Yield, applied through scientific advice from bodies like the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The principle of relative stability guarantees member states a fixed percentage share of fishing opportunities based on historical catches. The policy also enshrines equal access for all EU vessels to Common Fisheries Policy waters, with certain traditional exemptions for coastal zones.

Management measures

Central to the policy are Total Allowable Catches set annually for most commercial stocks, which are then divided into national quotas. These are supplemented by technical measures regulating gear, such as mesh size rules, and establishing Marine Protected Areas. Efforts to reduce discarding of unwanted catch culminated in the Landing Obligation, fully implemented in 2019. Control and enforcement are coordinated by the European Fisheries Control Agency, working with national authorities like the Marine Management Organisation in the United Kingdom.

Structural policy and funding

The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund is the main financial instrument, succeeding the European Fisheries Fund. It provides funding for projects that align with policy goals, such as modernizing fleets, supporting aquaculture in countries like Spain and Greece, and developing coastal communities in regions such as Brittany and Galicia. Funding also promotes initiatives like pescatourism and improving market organization, with oversight from the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission.

International dimension

The European Commission, acting on behalf of member states, negotiates fisheries agreements with third countries, such as the EU-Norway agreement and accords with nations like Mauritania and Senegal. The European Union is also a member of several Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, including the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas. These forums address the management of straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks in line with the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement.

Criticism and reform

The policy has faced persistent criticism for encouraging discarding, overcentralized decision-making in Brussels, and failing to prevent the overfishing of stocks such as those in the Celtic Sea. The 2002 reform aimed to decentralize through Regional Advisory Councils, and the 2013 reform, driven by Commissioner Maria Damanaki, introduced the Landing Obligation and legally binding commitments to sustainability. Brexit and the subsequent Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the United Kingdom created a new bilateral management framework for shared stocks, representing a significant recent geopolitical shift.

Category:European Union law Category:Fisheries policies