European fisheries in the balance. Appeal to the EU Parliament to defend the FEAMPA – As Brussels prepares to rewrite the EU’s multiannual budget rules, the fishing and aquaculture sector is raising its voice to avoid being sacrificed on the altar of financial simplifications. The real risk is that the European Fund for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture (FEAMPA), the only instrument dedicated to the sector, will be incorporated into a maxi multi-sectoral financing structure. A choice that, according to the main European associations, would seriously jeopardise the sector’s ability to respond to its most complex challenges and, consequently, the very future of fishing and aquaculture in the Union.
AIPCE-CEP, Copa-Cogeca, EAPO, Europêche, ETF and FEAP do not mince words: the sector needs an autonomous and strengthened fund, with targeted resources and simplified procedures. It is a request that stems from the urgency to protect a sector that is not only an economic sector, but a real guarantee of food security, economic resilience and environmental sustainability for millions of European citizens.
The ongoing debate on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) has turned the spotlight on an issue that concerns the present, but more importantly the future of EU fisheries. The leaders of the sector associations have written directly to the heads of the EU institutions: Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Donald Tusk. The message is clear: fishing and aquaculture are not sectors to be treated with generalist logic, but worlds with specific needs, rooted in Europe’s coastal and rural territories.
Today, fishing fleets, aquaculture producers and processors face a mix of challenges that risk compromising competitiveness and the very survival of businesses. These start with ever-increasing operating costs, exacerbated by international competition and the difficulty of recruiting new generations of workers. Small-scale coastal fishing, which is the backbone of many local economies, struggles to guarantee decent wages, while regulatory pressure and competition for the use of maritime space limit development possibilities.
Yet, the contribution of this sector is crucial. European fish and aquaculture products are among the healthiest and most environmentally friendly food sources, thanks to a supply chain that works every day to reduce the carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of supplies. Defending the sector therefore means investing in European food security and the fight against climate change.
The associations call for a decisive and responsible political response. The proposal is to maintain and strengthen the FEAMPA as an independent fund, increasing appropriations to support environmental and climate objectives, accompany the transition to low-emission practices, and encourage innovation and attractiveness of the sector, especially for young people. Without a dedicated fund, the representatives warn, the efforts made so far in terms of sustainability, quality and resilience may be undermined.
The message from the European organisations does not only concern those working at sea or in aquaculture facilities, but touches all European citizens. Fishing and aquaculture are not just an industry, but cultural identity, social cohesion and protection of often marginalised territories. They are sectors that guarantee healthy food, jobs and the future.
European fisheries in the balance. Appeal to the EU Parliament to defend FEAMPA
