EU 2025 Agreement. Twelve measures for sustainable fisheries – In an important step towards sustainable management of marine resources, EU fisheries ministers have reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The agreement aims to ensure the conservation and sustainable exploitation of demersal stocks in the Western Mediterranean, marking a turning point in EU fisheries policies.
In the Western Mediterranean, trawlers will be subject to further reductions in fishing effort, with the aim of addressing fishing mortality and encouraging the recovery of fish stocks. To facilitate this transition, an expanded compensation mechanism has been introduced to reward fishermen and fisherwomen who adopt innovative conservation measures.
The additional fishing opportunities will be linked to the implementation of twelve specific sustainability measures, which will provide significant increases in the fishing days granted. These measures, if taken cumulatively, will not exceed the fishing days for 2024, but represent a real opportunity for fleets that want to embark on the path to sustainability.
The twelve sustainability measures
Here are in detail the twelve measures under the agreement and the related increases in fishing days:
1 – Removal of double otter trawl (OTT) gear:
- 24% increase in fishing days.
- If implemented before 1 May 2025: 35% increase.
- If implemented by more than 40% of the national fleet: 40% increase.
2 – Use of 45 mm square mesh trawls at the cod-end:
- 9.3% increase.
- If implemented before 1 May 2025: 18.6% increase.
- If used by more than 40% of the fleet: 25% increase.
- If applied to the entire fleet of the Member State: 30% increase.
3 – Use of 50 mm square mesh trawls at the cod-end:
- 15.4% increase.
- If implemented before 1 May 2025: 30.8% increase.
- If used by more than 40% of the fleet: 40% increase.If applied to the entire fleet: 50% increase.
4 – Temporary closures for vessels at depths of 100-500 metres for at least six consecutive weeks between May and September:
- 10% increase.
5 – Temporary closures in GSA 8-9-10-11 for at least four consecutive weeks between May and October:
- 15% increase.
6 – Temporary closures in GSA 1-2-5-6-7 for at least four consecutive weeks between May and October:
- 15% increase.
7 – National closure areas covering at least 5% of fishing grounds at depths of 100-500 metres:
- 4% increase.
8 – Temporary closure areas that reduce hake spawning catches by at least 20%:
- 13% increase.
9 – Temporary closure areas that reduce catches of juveniles by at least 25% or catches of spawners of demersal species by at least 20%:
- 3% increase.
10 – Permanent closure of trawl fisheries at depths below 800 metres:
- 3% increase.
11 – Use of gears that reduce contact with the seabed, such as flying gates or low-contact bulkheads:
- 3% increase.
12 – Use of regulated highly selective gears that reduce catches of juveniles by at least 25 percent or spawners by 20 percent compared to 2020:
- 3% increase.
Funding and Transition Support
To support the sector in adopting these measures, EU funding will be available to incentivise investment in sustainable fisheries and mitigate the economic impact of restrictions.
The agreement will be formally adopted by the European Council in January 2025, representing a decisive step towards the sustainable management of marine resources and support for coastal communities.
EU 2025 Agreement. Twelve measures for sustainable fisheries
