COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Towards more sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2023
Date: 2022-06-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: Russia, Ukraine, catch of fish, catch quota, common fisheries policy, fishery management, fishing area, fishing rights, sustainable fisheries, territorial dispute

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 1.6.2022  COM(2022) 253 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Towards more sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2023 {SWD(2022) 157 final}  
 
 
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

Towards more sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2023 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

This  Communication  provides  further  details  on  the  status  of  European  fisheries  and  offers 
orientations for the Commission’s proposals and consultations with third countries on fishing 
opportunities  (FOs)  for  2023  that  would  aim  at  further  strengthening  the  recovery  of  some 
stocks and maintaining healthy stocks at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) level. 

Fisheries have continued growing in sustainability overall, thanks to the efforts made by the 
sector not only to further improve the stocks situation, but also to keep sustainable stocks in a 
good  condition.  This  has  led  to  even  more  stocks  being  brought  to  sustainable  levels,  with 
very good results especially in the North East Atlantic.  

Internationally, the EU continued in 2021 to be a key driver for further progress in  regional 
fisheries  management  organisations  (RFMOs).  However,  further  efforts  are  needed,  in 
particular in the Mediterranean Sea, where the situation continues to be of concern and in the 
Baltic,  which  saw  a  reverse  of  recent  improvements,  due  to  other  pressures  on  the 
environment and marine ecosystems. 

Since February this year, Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine has impacted fisheries 
from several perspectives, especially in the Black Sea. The evolving security situation in the 
Black  Sea  has  resulted  in  a  disruption  of  fishing  activities,  with  a  temporary  ban  of  fishing 
activities  for  security  reasons  in  certain  Member  States’  waters,  such  as  Romanian  waters 
bordering  Ukraine  in  Danube  Delta,  while  Member  States  and  other  riparian  countries  at 
regional  level  have  issued  security  warnings  to  the  sector.  In  addition,  Russia’s  military 
aggression has led to disruptions in trade flows, to impact on the provision of scientific advice 
and certain negotiations at international level, and to increased energy prices requiring the use 
of European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) crisis measures to support 
the significant market disruption in the sector. This shows the importance of further growing 
in  resilience  to  ensure  food  security  in  Europe,  and  of  meeting  the  Green  Deal  objectives, 
especially through further innovation and energy transition. 

2.  PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE FISHING IN THE EU 

2.1.  BIOMASS TRENDS AND FISHING PRESSURE 

Ensuring  that  fishing  activities  are  sustainable  requires  catching  no  more  fish  than  can  be 
reproduced again each year. A stock is fished sustainably at MSY when the ratio between the 
actual fishing mortality (F) and the fishing mortality at MSY (FMSY) is below or equal to 1. 

In 2020, overall fishing pressure in EU waters continued to decrease, and the status of stocks 
to improve. It is particularly welcome to see that, thanks to the efforts made by the sector, in 

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2020  the  overall  fishing  mortality  ratio  fell  below  1  in  the  North  East  Atlantic  for  the 
first  time.  However,  certain  other  stocks  remain  overfished  and/or  outside  safe  biological 
limits, which calls for further progress to reach the objectives of the common fisheries policy 
(CFP).  In  the  Baltic  Sea,  the  positive  trend  in  recent  years  has  reversed  due  to  the  dire 
environmental  situation  and  past  overfishing.  This  has  led  to  a  habitat  loss  for  a  number  of 
fish stocks, to decreases in the amount of fish in the sea and to smaller sizes for Baltic cod and 
now also other Baltic stocks. In the Mediterranean Sea, for EU and shared stocks, regulated 
under the western Mediterranean (West Med)1 multiannual plan (MAP) and General Fisheries 
Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), steps in the direction of the MSY objective were 
observed, with a decrease of the fishing mortality ratio below 2 for the first time since 2003. 

2.2. 

FISHING OPPORTUNITIES ESTABLISHED FOR 2022 

The  FOs  established  for  2022  are  an  important  step  in  terms  of  sustainable  fisheries 
management. 

In  the  Atlantic,  Baltic  Sea  and  the  Skagerrak/Kattegat,  FOs  are  mainly  defined  as  catch 
limits through total allowable catches (TACs). 

In those areas, for stocks managed only by the EU, catch limits were set in line with MSY 
for all stocks where this ratio was available, except  for Western Baltic herring, where other 
stringent  measures  were  taken  in  line  with  the  Baltic  MAP.  Additional  protective  measures 
were also taken for stocks in difficult situations, such as the Kattegat cod, Eastern Baltic cod 
and Western Baltic cod. Overall, Baltic Member States  and stakeholders recognise the need 
for  action  to  rebuild  important  commercial  fish  stocks  in  the  Baltic  Sea  and  are  doing  their 
part to achieve this objective. 

For stocks shared with the UK, both parties agreed catch limits, within the deadline set by 
the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA2), in line with MSY for most stocks where this 
advice  was  available.  Only  for  4  stocks  (where  the  advice  was  0  catches)  was  a  different 
decision  made,  with  both  parties  agreeing  on  a  low  catch  limit  covering  only  bycatches,  to 
prevent choking of the mixed demersal fisheries. For one stock, they agreed on a small TAC 
to allow data collection to continue. 

Regarding stocks shared trilaterally with Norway and the UK, the three parties agreed to 
pursue the further recovery of North Sea cod by continuing remedial measures and by setting 
the TAC below the scientific advice for several  other stocks that interact with cod in mixed 
fisheries.  The  herring  TACs  were  set  below  the  scientific  advice.  The  only  MSY  assessed 
stock shared bilaterally with Norway was set at MSY level. 

1  Regulation  (EU)  2019/1022  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  20  June  2019  establishing  a 
multiannual  plan  for  the  fisheries  exploiting  demersal  stocks  in  the  western  Mediterranean  Sea  and  amending 
Regulation (EU) No 508/2014 (OJ L 172, 26.6.2019, p. 1-17). 

2 Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, 
of  the  one  part,  and  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Northern  Ireland,  of  the  other  part 
ST/5198/2021/INIT (OJ L 149, 30.4.2021, p. 10–2539). 

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Regarding  the  stocks  of  mackerel,  blue  whiting  and  Atlanto-Scandian  herring,  the  coastal 
states3 agreed to set overall TACs at MSY level. Discussions on sharing arrangements are on 
the agenda in 2022, to avoid overfishing occurring in the absence of sharing arrangements. 

In  the  Mediterranean  and  Black  Seas,  characterised  by  multispecies  fisheries  and  many 
stocks shared with third countries, while fishing mortality got closer to the sustainable level 
for  some  stocks,  with  7  having  reached  Fmsy  in  2020,  many  stocks  are  still  fished  above 
sustainable levels. Vigorous conservation efforts need to continue to reach the MSY objective 
by  2025,  in  particular  by  applying  the  West  Med  MAP  and  the  new  2030  Strategy  of  the 
GFCM4. Indeed, FOs for 2022 implement a substantial package of measures adopted in 2021 
by the GFCM. 

In  light  of  the  aim  under  the  West  Med  MAP  to  achieve  MSY  for  all  demersal  stocks  by 
January  2025  at  the  latest,  the  FOs  set  out  an  integrated  and  global  approach,  building  on 
various  management  tools  and  introduce  an  incentive  mechanism  allowing  for  increased 
fishing activity to reward the use of more selective gear and efficient closure areas. Member 
States are encouraged to establish measures to benefit from this mechanism.  In addition, the 
Council adopted maximum catch limits for the most overfished deep-water shrimps and effort 
ceilings for longliners. 

Intensive work under the GFCM, supported by the EU’s consistent position in RFMOs, led to 
the adoption of significant decisions. A GFCM long-term management plan for small pelagics 
in  the  Adriatic  was  agreed  to  provide  high  long-term  yields  consistent  with  MSY,  with 
reduced catch limits in 2022 for anchovies and sardines, and a freeze of capacity for pelagic 
trawlers  and purse seiners. The GFCM also  decided to  implement  a  ground-breaking multi-
annual  plan  for  demersal  stocks  in  the  Adriatic  establishing  a  maximum  capacity  limit  for 
both bottom and beam trawlers, to achieve the MSY target in 2026 for all key stocks. It also 
adopted  harvest  limits  for  red  coral,  a  cap  on  fishing  effort  for  common  dolphinfish  in 
international  waters of the Mediterranean,  for deep water shrimps in  the  Ionian Sea,  Levant 
Sea and the Strait of Sicily, catch limits for the blackspot seabream and decided to continue 
measures to protect the European eel. For Black Sea species, TACs were set for turbot under 
the GFCM plan and an autonomous quota was set for sprat. 

3.  STATE OF THE EU FLEET 

The  CFP  also  covers  the  management  of  the  size  of  fishing  fleets  to  ensure  that  their  catch 
capacity is in balance with the productive potential of the fish stocks. Excess fishing capacity 
is ecologically and financially undesirable, putting stocks at risk of overexploitation, burning 
fuel for no good purpose and reducing profitability. 

3  Coastal  States  in  the  Northeast  Atlantic  for  the  relevant  stocks  are  the  European  Union,  United  Kingdom, 
Norway, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Russian Federation 

4 https://www.fao.org/gfcm/2seas1vision/GFCM2030Strategy/es 

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Member  States  must  keep  fleets  within  national  ceilings  of  vessel  capacity  (gross  tonnage 
(GT)) and engine power (kW). They must act to reduce the capacity of fleets  that are not in 
balance  by  preparing  annual  reports  on  the  biological  and  economic  sustainability  of  fleets, 
and where there is evidence of an imbalance, they have to present action plans to redress this 
within  a  clear  time-frame.  Any  capacity  that  is  withdrawn  with  public  aid  may  not  be 
replaced. 

Compared  to  2020,  the  number  of  vessels,  GT  and  engine  power  were  reduced  slightly  by 
0.07%, 0.1% and 0.1%, respectively. As a result, in December 2021, the EU registered fleet 
(including that active in  the outermost regions) consisted of 74380 vessels of 1,320,362 GT 
and 5,304,015 kW. 

Member  States  indicate  in  their  2021  reporting  that  they  are  maintaining  fleets  below 
the  ceilings,  thus  respecting  the  requirements  set  out  in  Article  22  of  Regulation 
1380/2013.  However,  serious  concerns  exist  on  the  accuracy  and  reliability  of  engine 
power  declarations  by  Member  States  as  well  as  regarding  the  data  underpinning  the 
national reports and the existence or accuracy of Member States action plans required 
under Article 22 of the CFP Regulation. 

The reports demonstrate that there are significant gaps in the provision of biological data in 
the  outermost  regions  and  in  the  eastern  Mediterranean  basin,  and  of  economic  indicators. 
Bulgaria, Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece,  Ireland,  Italy, Malta, Portugal  and Sweden all had 
segments containing 50 or more vessels for which either biological or economic data were not 
available. For Cyprus, France, Ireland and Sweden this exceeded 200 vessels. 

As  regards  the  action  plans,  these  do  not  always  seem  sufficient  to  address  the  imbalances. 
This is of particular concern in the Baltic where the decrease in FOs is likely to create further 
imbalances and in the Mediterranean where stocks are fished at 1.94 times the MSY rates and 
where including more specific targets in the action plan could provide a basis for making full 
use of the EMFAF funds.  

Permanent cessation of fishing activities being one of the tools supported by the EMFAF for 
eliminating  structural  fleet  overcapacity,  the  Commission  calls  on  Member  States  to  align 
EMFAF programmes under preparation for 2021-27 with their fleet management policy. 

In  parallel,  the  Commission  is  contacting  relevant  Member  States  and  requesting  them  to 
address the issues in each particular case. 

4.  ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE 

After several years of affordable prices, fuel prices have increased sharply since March 2022, 
doubling  compared  to  the  average  price  in  2021.  The  EU  fishing  fleet  was  paying  around 
€1.1-1.2 per liter of fuel in mid-March 2022. 

Pending  the  report  from  the  Scientific,  Technical  and  Economic  Committee  for  Fisheries 
(STECF) on the economic performance of the EU fishing fleet (expected in July 2022), early 

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estimates show that if energy prices remain at the current level, the EU-27 fishing fleet would 
overall lose €0.3 billion in operating profit in 2022. 

However, impacts of energy price increases vary significantly across the different EU fishing 
fleets and fishing gears. About 40% of the small-scale fleet, 66% of the large-scale fleet and 
87% of the distant-water fleet would not be profitable if energy prices remain at the current 
level for the rest of 2022. Fleet segments using fuel-intensive gears such as trawling would be 
among the most affected. 

These estimates will be addressed further in the July STECF report, which will feed into the 
decisions for 2023 FOs. 

In addition, in response to the crisis, the Commission took quick action on 25 March 2022 by 
triggering  the  EMFAF  crisis  mechanism,  enabling  Member  States  to  provide  EMFAF 
support  to  cater  for  the  significant  market  disruption  caused  by  the  crisis.  This  can  be 
combined  with  the  other  crisis  packages  available  to  mitigate  the  impact  of  the  crisis,  in 
particular  the  Temporary  Crisis  Framework  on  State  aid  measures.  The  possibility  to  carry 
over  up  to  10%  of  any  unused  quotas  to  next  year  also  remains  valid.  Furthermore,  on  13 
April 2022, the Commission proposed a legislative amendment to the European Maritime and 
Fisheries Fund (EMFF), which would allow for additional crisis measures. 

5.  LANDING OBLIGATION 

The landing obligation aims at increasing selectivity and reducing levels of unwanted catches, 
by ensuring all catches are landed. 

Advice by STECF and ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) indicates 
that levels of unwanted catches remain high in many mixed demersal fisheries in EU waters 
(between 20-30% in the Greater North Sea, Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay & Iberian Coast). 
Moreover,  reports  by  Member  States  continue  to  provide  only  limited  information  on  the 
socio-economic impacts of the landing obligation. 

With  reference  to  the  9  delegated  regulations  specifying  the  details  of  implementing  the 
landing  obligation,  the  STECF  observes  that  the  impacts  of  such  exemptions  on  fishing 
mortality  are  poorly  understood  given  the  level  of  reporting  of  catches  discarded  under 
exemptions. The Commission will therefore work with Member States  regional  groups on a 
review of all existing exemptions to the landing obligation in 2023. 

The  EMFF  and  the  EMFAF  –  with  a  high  rate  of  public  aid  –  provide  support  for 
implementing the landing obligation. In that context, in 2020 Member States spent more than 
€86 million to support measures related to the landing obligation, more than in any previous 
year. While support for  technical measures to help improve selectivity continued to  grow, a 
detailed  analysis  also  shows  that  most  of  the  financial  support  was  dedicated  to  research 
supporting  exemptions  and  to  IT  system  upgrades  facilitating  more  effective  quota  use. 
Although numerous gear innovation projects and trials were conducted, in many instances the 
uptake by the fleets is not as widespread as may have been expected. The STECF also pointed 

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out  that  Member  States  seemed  to  focus  more  on  adopting  exemptions  than  on  improving 
selectivity. 

This  is  why  the  Commission  continues  to  encourage  Member  States  to  make  better  use  of 
the funds to ensure further innovation and actual use of more selective fishing gear and 
methods,  to  improve  controls,  and  to  obtain  some  value  from    unwanted  catches  (without 
creating a structured market for such catches). 

Control and enforcement of the landing obligation remain problematic. The findings of 
the audits launched by the Commission in 2020 show that the Member States audited have not 
adopted  the  necessary  measures  to  ensure  effective  control  and  enforcement  of  the  landing 
obligation  and  significant  undocumented  discarding  of  catches  by  operators.  This  is 
corroborated by other reports, including 3 compliance evaluations carried out by the European 
Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA). However, STECF points to the progress in pilot projects 
on  Electronic  Monitoring  systems  by  Member  States  as  a  positive  and  innovative  step  that 
will  help  effective  implementation  of  the  landing  obligation.  Given  the  importance  of 
monitoring and enforcing the landing obligation for the success of the CFP, the Commission 
launched in 2021 infringement procedures against Spain, France, Belgium, Ireland and the 
Netherlands  for  failing  to  take  appropriate  measures  to  ensure  control,  enforcement  and 
inspection  of  the  landing  obligation  and  to  ensure  detailed  and  accurate  documentation  of 
catches.  Failure to take appropriate measures in  those areas  has ramifications with regard to 
the potentially large quantities of unreported or misreported catches. 

The Commission also continues to work with the co-legislators on reaching an agreement on a 
revised fisheries control system5, notably to mandate the use of remote electronic monitoring 
tools  that  are  the  most  effective  and  cost-efficient  means  to  monitor  the  landing  obligation. 
Catch  data  collection  and  reporting  also  remain  key  for  the  quality  of  scientific  advice  and 
thus the achievement of MSY. 

6.  MAIN MESSAGES AND ORIENTATIONS FOR 2023 FISHING OPPORTUNITIES PROPOSALS 

6.1. Key steps towards setting the next fishing opportunities 

Like  in  previous  years,  the  Commission  will  base  its  2023  FO  proposals  on  the  ICES  and 
STECF  scientific  advice,  on  the  decisions  taken  during  bilateral  negotiations  with  third 
countries, on decisions taken by the RFMOs in 2022 and on a socio economic analysis. While 
the scientific advice may be delayed for few stocks, due to the impacts of Russia’s invasion of 
Ukraine on  ICES activities,  this is  not  expected to affect  the timing of the relevant  Council 
meetings. The Commission will cover as many stocks as possible in its initial FO proposals. 

5 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation EC) No 
1224/2009,  and  amending  Council  Regulations  (EC)  No  768/2005,  (EC)  No  1967/2006,  (EC)  No  1005/2008, 
and Regulation (EU) No 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards fisheries control 
(COM/2018/368 final, 30.5.2018). 

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The Commission invites Member States and stakeholders to consider the scientific advice as 
soon  as  it  is  publicly  available.  Stakeholders  can  also  make  recommendations  through 
Advisory Councils, national authorities and individually. 

The Commission will conduct various consultations with the UK, Norway and Coastal States 
between  October  and  December  2022,  with  the  aim  of  concluding  in  time  to  process  the 
outcome into the December AGRIFISH Council.  

As well as setting FOs, the Commission will work throughout the year to achieve progress on 
sharing  arrangements  for  widely  distributed  stocks  with  third  countries  where  currently  no 
such arrangements exist, to ensure the sustainable exploitation of shared stocks. 

6.2. Setting fishing opportunities for different sea basins 

For  stocks  managed  only  by  the  EU  in  the  Baltic  Sea,  Skagerrak/Kattegat  and  south-
western waters, the Commission will propose to further maintain/reduce fishing mortality in 
line with the MSY level when this advice is available. Where management plans enable more 
flexibility  to  set  catch  limits,  the Commission  may  propose  to  use  the  upper  range  of  MSY 
levels for healthy stocks, on the condition that the scientific advice considers it necessary to 
achieve  the  objectives  under  the  MAP  for  mixed  fisheries.  For  stocks  where  the  scientific 
advice is zero catch or where the biomass has decreased so much that they are below a safe 
limit,  remedial  measures  under  the  relevant  MAPs  will  be  proposed  to  rebuild  the  stocks. 
Further attention will be devoted to getting full MSY scientific evaluation for other key stocks 
as soon as possible. 

In the context of the landing obligation, the de minimis or high survivability allowances will 
be deducted from the STECF advice where appropriate. The Commission will also evaluate 
Member States’ progress in implementing current by-catch reduction measures. 

For stocks shared with third countries (UK, Norway, Coastal States), the number of TACs 
set in line with the scientific advice has increased in 2022, both for stocks with MSY advice 
and  for  those  receiving  precautionary  advice.  For  2023,  the  EU  will  build  on  the  2022 
exercise  and  continue  to  pursue  sustainable  TACs  in  line  with  the  scientific  advice,  as 
provided  for  under  the  CFP  and  the  TCA.  The  Commission  will  seek  to  start  the 
consultations,  notably  with  the  UK  and  with  Norway,  as  early  as  possible  in  the  autumn, 
subject to the availability of the scientific advice. 

The EU has also pushed to initiate quota sharing consultations for 3 widely distributed stocks 
(mackerel, blue whiting, Norwegian spring-spawning herring) shared with other coastal states. 
For  mackerel,  consultations  have  been  advancing  since  March  2022,  whereas  parties 
concerned  agreed  that  consultations  on  blue  whiting  and  the  herring  should  accelerate  from 
September onwards. The Union has called on all parties to enable a sustainable compromise 
that does not jeopardise the legitimate interests of the Union and its industry. 

For  the  Mediterranean  and  Black  Seas,  it  is  essential  that  Member  States  continue  their 
efforts towards achieving the objectives of the West Med MAP and GFCM and to adopt and 
implement ambitious operational programmes for the EMFAF for developing accompanying 

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measures. The FO proposal will aim at further implementing the West Med MAP, including 
further  reductions  and  the  development  of  management  tools  to  achieve  MSY  by  January 
2025 at the latest for all stocks, on the basis of a holistic approach over 2 years. 

While the implementation of the West Med MAP has been evaluated annually by the STECF 
since its adoption, the Commission will launch the preparatory work to report by July 2024 on 
the  results  and  impact  of  the  plan  on  the  stocks  concerned,  and  on  the  fisheries  exploiting 
those stocks, in accordance with requirement under the MAP. 

Beyond  the  implementation  of  the  West  Med  MAP,  which  is  crucial  for  the  future  of 
Mediterranean  fleets,  the  management  of  shared  stocks  is  also  necessary  to  secure  a  level 
playing field between all fishers in the Mediterranean Sea. The Commission, with the support 
of Member States, will therefore continue being proactive in the GFCM. In that spirit, the FO 
2023 proposal will also cover GFCM measures extending those already in force and include 
additional  measures  to  be  adopted  at  the  November  GFCM  annual  session.  For  Black  Sea 
species, TACs and quotas for turbot will be proposed in accordance with the GFCM decision 
of November 2022. 

In  addition,  given  the  critical  state  of  the  European  eel  stock,  the  Commission  is  exploring 
how  to  address  the  latest  ICES  advice  on  zero  catches6  and  follow  up  on  Member  States’ 
progress in implementing Eel Management Plans and measures under the Eel Regulation7. 

Finally, the GFCM is currently working on possible management measures to be taken, based 
notably  on  the  results  of  a  recently  finalised  research  programme  on  European  eel8.  In  this 
regard,  a  dedicated  advice  on  managing  European  eel  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea  will  be 
adopted  by  the  GFCM  scientific  body  in  June.  It  will  inform  decision-making  on  possible 
management approaches in the EU. 

7.  CONCLUSION 

In 2021, fisheries in the EU continued growing in sustainability in 2021, with the exception of 
the Baltic Sea where some previously important commercial stocks are declining, due to the 
environmental  situation  in  the  Baltic  Sea.  Further  efforts  are  also  needed,  notably  in  the 
Mediterranean Sea. With its proposals for FOs for 2023, the Commission will aim at further 
pursuing stocks recovery and consolidating the stocks already at sustainable levels. 

Beyond  the  state  of  fisheries  resources,  attention  must  also  be  given  to  the  wider  marine 
ecosystems.  In that spirit, the Commission is preparing  an Action Plan to conserve fisheries 
resources  and  protect  marine  ecosystems.  It  will  aim  at  further  protecting  sensitive  species 

6 ICES advice of 4 November 2021: ele.2737.nea (ices.dk): “ICES advises that when the precautionary approach 
is applied, there should be zero catches in all habitats in 2022”. 

7 Council  Regulation (EC) No 1100/2007 of 18 September  2007 establishing  measures  for the recovery of the 
stock of European eel (OJ L 248, 22.9.2007, p. 17–23). 

8 https://www.fao.org/gfcm/technical-meetings/detail/en/c/1507967/ 

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and habitats, with measures supported by an improved knowledge base, enhancing synergies 
between fisheries and environmental stakeholders, and supporting the sector to ensure a fair 
and just transition.  Such support will remain key in  the coming months  and  years to  ensure 
fisheries’  resilience  in  particular  in  the  context  of  the  Russia’s  military  aggression  against 
Ukraine and the ecological and climate crisis. 

The Commission will further look into the CFP implementation in a report to be adopted by 
the end of the year. 

The  Commission  invites  Member  States,  Advisory  Councils,  stakeholders  and  the  public  to 
provide feedback on this Communication by 31 August 2022. 

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PLANNED WORK SCHEDULE9 

When 

What 

May-November 2022 

ICES scientific advice 

June-end August 2022  Public consultation on the Communication 

End August 2022 

Commission adopts the FOs proposal for the Baltic Sea 

September-December 
2022 

Annual  consultations  on  FOs  with  the  UK,  with  the  UK  and 
Norway, and with Norway 

Mid-September 2022 

Commission  adopts  the  FOs  proposal  for  the  Mediterranean  and 
Black Seas 

October 2022 

Council meeting on FOs for the Baltic Sea 

Coastal  States  consultations  on  widely  distributed  stocks  in  the 
north-east Atlantic 

End October 2022 

Commission adopts the FOs proposal for the Atlantic/North Sea  

7-11 November 2022  GFCM annual session  

2 December 2022 

STECF stock assessment and management advice 

December 2022 

Council meeting on FOs for the Atlantic/North Sea 

Council meeting on FOs for the Mediterranean and Black Seas 

9 For RFMO-managed stocks in EU waters and certain non-EU waters, FOs are adopted after the annual meeting 

of the RFMOs, through periodic revisions of the Council regulation setting the FOs 

10