EU fisheries ministers have agreed on fishing quotas for 2025, aiming to protect overfished Mediterranean stocks while supporting fishing communities. The decision came after two days of intense negotiations in Brussels.
Compromise on Fishing Effort Reductions
The key focus was reducing fishing efforts for trawlers targeting demersal species — fish living near the seabed — in Spanish, French, and Italian waters. Currently, 60% of these stocks are overfished, and 80% fall below sustainability levels. The European Commission initially proposed a 79% reduction in fishing days by 2025, which sparked strong opposition. This proposal would have limited trawlers to just 27 fishing days per year.
After tough discussions, ministers reached a compromise. The final agreement reduces fishing days by 66% in Spanish and French waters and by 38% in Italian and French waters. Hungarian minister István Nagy, who led the talks, praised the outcome as a balanced solution. French minister Fabrice Loher described the agreement as crucial for the future of Mediterranean fisheries.
Flexible Measures and Conservation Goals
The agreement includes a compensation mechanism allowing countries to maintain their 2024 fishing levels if they adopt additional conservation practices. These practices include using improved mesh sizes, introducing seasonal closures, and employing selective fishing gear. Spain and Italy confirmed they plan to use these measures to preserve their current fishing days.
Quotas for key species were also reduced to support sustainability. Blue and red shrimp quotas dropped by 10% in Spanish and French waters and by 6% in Italian and French waters. Giant red shrimp quotas were cut by 6% for Italian and French waters.
Environmental group Oceana supported the reduction in fishing limits but expressed concern over the compensation mechanism. They fear additional fishing days for trawlers might compromise the goal of sustainable fishing. Despite these concerns, the agreement seeks to balance the protection of marine ecosystems with the livelihoods of Mediterranean fishers.
