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Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR)

#WesternMediterranean: Management plan to fortify fishing sector of region

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The Commission has proposed a multi-annual plan for fish stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea. The proposal covers demersal fish stocks, i.e. fish that live and feed at the bottom of the seabed, and bring a significant income to the fisheries sector in the region. Catches for these stocks have significantly decreased by around 23% since the early 2000s.

At this rate more than 90% of the stocks assessed would be overfished by 2025. Without the collective pooling of effort foreseen by this plan, around 1,500 vessels would be at financial risk by 2025. The proposal aims to restore these stocks to levels that can ensure social and economic viability for the fishermen and the more than 16,000 jobs that depend on it.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella said: “The proposal for a multi-annual plan is a direct follow-up to the MedFish4Ever Declaration from 2017. It aims to reach a healthy level of fish stocks needed to prevent a loss of jobs and to sustain important economic sectors that depend on fisheries. It brings us one step closer to making Mediterranean fisheries more sustainable. We need to act, and we need to act with urgency. Only then can we secure our common objective to allow fisheries to sustain fishermen and the economy for years to come."

The Commission's proposal is now submitted for discussion to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. A press release is available online.

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