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
- End of March 2024
Member States will submit roadmaps to the Commission and make them public.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.