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Oceans and fisheries

Action plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries

The European Commission adopted the marine action plan on 21 February 2023.

Overview

After the agreement at COP15 in Montreal, the EU is taking action to meet its goals set out in the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, including protecting 30% of our seas, with one third being strictly protected.

Objectives

  • contribute to getting and keeping fish stocks to sustainable levels
  • reduce the impact of fishing on the seabed
  • minimise fisheries impacts on sensitive species 

Actions

  • phase out mobile bottom fishing in marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2030
  • increase selectivity
  • protect sensitive species
  • support the fisheries sector in the transition by maximising the use of available funds
  • strengthen the knowledge base, research and innovation
  • improve implementation, monitoring and enforcement
  • improve governance, stakeholder involvement and outreach

Timeline

  1. End of March 2024

    Member States will submit roadmaps to the Commission and make them public.

  2. 2024

    The Commission will adopt its second report on the Technical Measures Regulation. This will feed into the mid-term review of the Biodiversity Strategy, also due in the first half of 2024, which will assess progress in implementing this action plan. 

  3. Autumn 2023

    The Commission will call the first meeting of a new joint special group gathering Member States’ fisheries and environmental authorities, to support them in preparing their national roadmaps and to follow up on implementation  

  4. Spring 2023

    The Commission will provide the Member States with a template and guidance to facilitate the preparation of national roadmaps outlining the measures envisaged by Member States to implement this action plan.