COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS EU Action Plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries
Date: 2023-02-21
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: EU action, biodiversity, environmental protection, fishery management, fishing industry, innovation, marine ecosystem, sea fishing, sea-bed, sustainable fisheries

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 21.2.2023  COM(2023) 102 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS EU Action Plan: Protecting and restoring marine ecosystems for sustainable and resilient fisheries        
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Our  ocean  and  seas  cover  70%  of  the  planet’s  surface  and  more  than  65%  of  the  EU 
territory. Healthy marine ecosystems are essential for life on Earth and play a key role in 
planetary wellbeing. They are one of the greatest sources of biodiversity and food,  they 
regulate  the  climate,  and  are  a  major  carbon  sink (1).  Just  as  important,  they  also  bring 
substantial health, social and economic benefits to coastal communities. 

According  to  a  recent  report  from  the  Intergovernmental  Science-Policy  Platform  on 
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (2), one in five people across the world depends on 
wild species for their food and income, with fisheries being a major source of food from 
wild  species.  Preserving  these  resources  by  managing  them  in  a  sustainable  way  is, 
therefore, more critical than ever in order to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

Sustainably managed  and  caught fish is  a source of  high quality  and affordable protein 
with a relatively low carbon footprint (3). It is essential to food security for many people 
and  to  maintaining  the  economic  basis  of  fishing  communities.  Ensuring  sustainable 
fishing and sustainably managed fish stocks is also key to protecting ocean biodiversity 
and fighting against climate change. 

Today the marine environment, as well as fishers and the fisheries sector, face a number 
of difficulties.  In  addition to the existential threats  to the marine environment posed by 
climate change and biodiversity loss due to multiple anthropogenic pressures, the sector 
has  also  been  dealing  with  a  series  of  major  challenges,  from  Brexit,  the  COVID-19 
pandemic  and,  most  recently,  the  repercussions  of  Russia's  ruthless  military  aggression 
against Ukraine (4). These shocks have triggered massive market disruptions, shortages of 
essential raw materials, a sharp rise of fuel and fish feed prices, in addition to the obvious 
danger posed by military operations and mines in the Black Sea.  

In parallel to addressing these immediate challenges, the EU cannot afford to lose sight of 
the  vital  need  to  safeguard  the  sustainability  of  its  food  systems.  In  line  with  the  EU’s 

(1)  Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the 

Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC) COM(2020) 259. 

(2)  IPBES  (2022):  Summary  for  policymakers  of  the  thematic  assessment  of  the  sustainable  use  of  wild 
species of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. J.-
M. Fromentin, M.R. Emery, J. Donaldson, M.-C. Danner, A. Hallosserie, D. Kieling, G. Balachander, 
E.S. Barron, R.P. Chaudhary, M. Gasalla, M. Halmy, C. Hicks, M.S. Park, B. Parlee, J. Rice, T. Ticktin, 
pages. 
Tittensor 
and 
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6425599 

secretariat, 

Germany. 

IPBES 

(eds.). 

Bonn, 

33 

D. 

(3)  Bianchi, M., Hallström, E., Parker, R.W.R. et al. Assessing seafood nutritional diversity together with 
climate  impacts informs  more comprehensive  dietary advice. Commun Earth Environ 3, 188 (2022). 
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00516-4.  

(4)  Including aquaculture and the fish processing industry. 

1 

 
 
                                                 
Biodiversity (5),  Climate  Adaptation (6)  and  Farm  to  Fork  Strategies (7),  the  EU  must 
ensure that the risks stemming from climate change and biodiversity loss do not jeopardise 
the availability of the goods and services that healthy marine ecosystems provide to fishers, 
coastal communities and humanity at large. 

Making the EU’s fisheries more resilient also means ensuring that they contribute to the 
protection and restoration of marine ecosystems on which they depend. A healthy marine 
environment with healthy fish stocks and rich biodiversity is the only way we make sure 
that our fisheries communities have a prosperous future over the medium and long term. 
Marine ecosystems are under increasing threat from climate change (8) and unsustainable 
or illegal,  unreported and unregulated  fishing (9).  Other  pressures (10)  are also  linked to 
human activities, such as maritime transport, energy production, tourism, agriculture, and 
industry. Therefore, it is important to tackle in parallel also those other pressures to marine 
ecosystems and fish stocks sustainability, including different forms of pollution, be it from 
contaminants, agricultural practices, plastics or noise. The EU is fighting marine pollution 
through a number of legislative and policy initiatives under the broader framework of the 
zero  pollution  action  plan (11).  These  include  setting  limits  to  marine  litter,  underwater 
noise, nutrients and contaminants under the MSFD and implementing measures to achieve 
them. They also include setting a number of zero pollution reduction targets (12) and taking 
action  to  benefit  the  marine  environment.  EU  rules  on  port  reception  facilities  also 
incentivise the delivery at ports of passively fished waste (13).  

There  is  an  urgent  need  to  step-up  action  at  EU  level  to  reverse  the  decline  of  marine 
ecosystems  by  tackling  all  pressures.  As  outlined  in  this  action  plan,  this  must  include 
action to make fisheries management more sustainable and modern, in order to protect and 

(5)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic 
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 Bringing 
nature back into our lives (COM/2020/380) 

(6)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic 
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Forging a climate-resilient Europe — the new 
EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change (COM(2021) 82 final). 

(7)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic 
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, A Farm to Fork Strategy for a fair, healthy 
and environmentally-friendly food system (COM/2020/381) 

(8)  Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the 

Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC) COM(2020) 259 final. 

(9)  European  Environment  Agency,  2019,  Marine  messages II,  Navigating  the  course  towards  clean, 

healthy and productive seas through implementation of an ecosystem-based approach. 

(10)  The  most  recent  reports  from  IPBES  (Global  Assessment  Report  on  Biodiversity  and  Ecosystem 
Services (2019); Methodological Assessment Report on the Diverse Values and Valuation of Nature, 
(2022)) indicate that the health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating 
more rapidly than ever and that we are eroding the very foundations of our economies, livelihoods, food 
security, health and quality of life worldwide.  

(11)  Communication from the Commission, Pathway to a Healthy Planet for All EU Action Plan: 'Towards 

Zero Pollution for Air, Water and Soil', COM/2021/400 final. 

(12)  These include, among others,  reducing waste and plastic litter at sea by 50%, reducing microplastics 
released into the environment by 30%; reducing nutrient losses and chemical pesticides’ use by 50%; 
reducing by 25% the EU ecosystems where air pollution threatens biodiversity. 

(13)  Directive  (EU)  2019/883  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  17  April  2019  on  port 
reception facilities for the delivery of waste from ships, amending Directive 2010/65/EU and repealing 
Directive 2000/59/EC (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 116). 

2 

 
                                                 
restore  marine  ecosystems  and  achieve  their  good  environmental  status (14),  as  well  as 
encourage and inspire the world to follow suit (15).  

This  action  plan  is  part  of  the  Commission’s  efforts  to  achieve  a  more  consistent 
implementation of the EU’s environmental policy and the common fisheries policy with 
its  three  –  environmental,  economic  and  social  -  sustainability  pillars.  It  provides  a 
forward-looking strategy on how to better apply the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries 
management  and  complements  the  Communication  on  the  functioning  of  the  common 
fisheries policy (16) and the Communication on the Energy Transition of the EU Fisheries 
and Aquaculture sector, hereafter energy transition initiative (17).  

Building on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 commitment to legally protect 30% of 
our  seas,  of  which  one  third  should  be  strictly  protected,  it  addresses  the  shortcomings 
identified  in  the  European  Court  of  Auditors’  special  report  issued  on  the  marine 
environment (18), by focusing in particular on marine protected areas (MPAs) (19) and on 
ways  in  which  fisheries  management  can  contribute  to  more  effective  protection  and 
restoration of their marine biodiversity, thereby contributing to achieving the objectives of 
the proposed Nature Restoration law  (20). 

The action plan draws on contributions made by stakeholders and citizens during the broad 
consultation (21).  

In the aftermath of the historic agreement on a new global biodiversity framework reached 
in  Montreal  at  the  15th  United  Nations  Biodiversity  Conference  of  the  parties  to  the 
Convention on Biological  Diversity (CBD  COP15), and in  the process  of negotiating  a 
new  legally  binding  agreements  on  protecting  the  high  seas  and  on  stopping  plastic 
pollution, this action plan will consolidate EU’s global leadership by showing that the EU 
delivers on what it commits to. The EU was driving the efforts towards an ambitious new 
global biodiversity framework agreed at COP15. This action plan will help to deliver on 
some of the global commitments taken, including the commitment to protect 30% of global 
terrestrial and marine areas and to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems. 

(14)  As required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC). 

(15)  The action plan is also relevant for the EU’s outermost regions (as listed in Article 249 TFEU), which 
should also receive special attention, in line with the call of the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 to 
focus  on  urgently  protecting  and  restoring  these  regions’  ecosystems,  given  their  exceptionally  rich 
biodiversity value. 

(16)  Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council:  The  common 
fisheries policy today and tomorrow: a Fisheries and Oceans Pact towards sustainable, science-based, 
innovative and inclusive fisheries management, COM(2023)103 

(17)  Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  on  the  Energy 

Transition of the EU Fisheries and Aquaculture sector, COM(2023)100 

(18)  ECA  Special  Report  26/2020,  Marine  environment:  EU  protection  is  wide  but  not  deep, 

https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eca/special-reports/marine-environment-26-2020/en/. 

(19) Marine protected areas (MPAs) are geographically distinct zones for which protection objectives are set 
seas:  
spatial 
(EEA, 
https://www.eionet.europa.eu/etcs/etc-icm/products/etc-icm-reports/etc-icm-report-3-2020-spatial-
analysis-of-marine-protected-area-networks-in-europe2019s-seas-iii    

See  EEA’s 

in  Europe 

of  MPAs 

analysis 

2018). 

latest 

(20)  Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on nature restoration, Brussels, 

22.6.2022 COM(2022) 304 final 2022/0195 (COD) 

(21)  Synopsis of the consultation attached as annex to this Communication. 

3 

 
                                                 
Finally, the objectives of this action plan are also consistent with the EU’s commitments 
outlined in the Joint Communication on International Ocean Governance (22) and with the 
external dimension of the common fisheries policy (CFP). 

2.  MAKING FISHING PRACTICES MORE SUSTAINABLE 

Today,  the  marine  environment  faces  multiple  pressures  that  need  to  be  addressed  in  a 
coherent way (23). In line with the objectives of the new global biodiversity framework and 
the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy to protect 30% of Europe’s sea area, the EU can reduce 
a  significant  share  of  this  pressure  by  creating  new  MPAs  and  effectively  managing 
existing ones as well as by making fishing practices more sustainable, including through 
the  use  of  low-impact  fishing  gears.  Effectively  managed  protected  areas  minimise 
incidental catches  of sensitive species (24), protect  fish spawning and nursery areas and 
juveniles, and reduce impacts on sensitive habitats, in particular the seabed. 

The decisions as to when, where and how to fish affect not only the target species, but also 
the  quantity  and  the  size  of  fish  and  by-catch,  and  consequently,  the  sustainability  of 
fishing  operations.  The  rules  governing  this  aspect  of  fishing,  commonly  referred  to  as 
‘technical measures’, were updated in 2019 (25). The new rules provide a coherent set of 
measures to help meet the environmental objectives and take a regional approach to create 
the flexibility required. The Technical Measures Regulation contains a set of baseline rules 
for selective fishing in each sea basin. For example, it specifies different sizes and shapes 
of mesh in fishing nets to catch only certain sizes of fish, sorting grids and panels allowing 
certain  species  to  escape  or  location  and  time-specific  closures  of  fishing  areas,  for 
example during the fish reproduction period (26). 

Improving gear selectivity and reducing the impact of fisheries on sensitive species  

One  of  the  objectives  of  the  baseline  rules  of  the  Technical  Measures  Regulation  is  to 
minimise  and,  where  possible,  eliminate  incidental  catches  of  sensitive  marine  species. 
Fish and other marine species face multiple threats including overfishing, pollution, and 
disturbance  or  destruction  and  degradation  of  their  habitats.  For  some,  the  incidental 
capture in fishing gear is one of the main threats. These problems have contributed to the 
decline of populations of several species, and although most are strictly protected by EU 
nature legislation, some are still at risk of extinction.  

(22)  Joint  Communication  to  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  European  Economic  and  Social 
Committee and the Committee of the  Regions, Setting the course for a sustainable blue planet, Joint 
Communication on the EU’s International Ocean Governance agenda JOIN(2022) 28 final 

(23)  Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the 

Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC), COM(2022) 259final. 

(24) As defined in Article 6(8) of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241. 
(25) Regulation  (EU)  2019/1241  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  20 June  2019  on  the 
conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, 
amending  Council  Regulations  (EC)  No 1967/2006,  (EC)  No 1224/2009  and  Regulations  (EU) 
No 1380/2013, (EU) 2016/1139, (EU) 2018/973, (EU) 2019/472 and (EU) 2019/1022 of the  European 
Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Council Regulations (EC) No 894/97, (EC) No 850/98, (EC) 
No 2549/2000, (EC) No 254/2002, (EC) No 812/2004 and (EC) No 2187/2005 ((OJ L 198 25.7.2019, 
p. 105). 

(26) Annexes V to XI to Regulation 2019/1241. 

4 

 
                                                 
Vulnerable  species  are  particularly  threatened.  These  include  several  sharks (27),  sea 
turtles, marine mammals, such as the Baltic Proper harbour porpoise and Mediterranean 
monk seals, and seabirds, such as the Balearic shearwater. They are all  at risk of being 
caught in static net fisheries. Marine mammals are also often caught in large pelagic trawls, 
seabirds in longline fisheries and sea turtles in trawls and longlines. 

However, there are widely available solutions to avoid incidental captures that are already 
required under EU environmental legislation and the common fisheries policy (CFP) rules. 
They include making technical changes to fishing gears or restricting fishing in times and 
areas when there is a particularly high presence of a sensitive species. 

Work, including through pilot projects, to better protect sensitive species across the EU's 
marine regions is planned or in progress, although with different levels of ambition and 
speed (28).  However,  more  needs  to  be  done  to  deliver  effectively  on  the  commitments 
under the EU's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.  

The Commission calls on Member States to be more ambitious and take full advantage of 
the CFP tools to urgently implement measures that are already available and scientifically 
assessed.  These  could  include  the  short-term  closure  of  certain  fishing  areas  or  the 
installation of acoustic deterrent devices, which, according to scientific advice (29), would 
help the recovery of Baltic Proper harbour porpoises or common dolphins in the Bay of 
Biscay. Swift action will also help to reduce incidental catches of seabirds in fishing gears 
and to protect sharks (30). In addition, Member States should improve monitoring systems 
to identify the extent and distribution of incidental catches.  

Achieving maximum sustainable yield levels of commercially exploited fish species is a 
key principle of the common fisheries policy and contributes to the good environmental 
status of commercial fish populations. This can be done by limiting catches or fishing effort 
and  by  ensuring  that  fishing  activities  are  highly  selective,  so  that  fishers  only  catch 
targeted species and only in certain quantities, ages and sizes of these species. Fishing can 
also  benefit  from  the  protection  of  important  fish  spawning  sites  and  nursery  areas, 
including  through  strictly  protected  areas,  as  the  increased  fish  stocks  spill  over  into 
adjacent areas. 

Many new and innovative solutions are now available to improve further the sustainability 
of fishing techniques, such as the use of more selective fishing gear, monitoring tools to 

(27)  Unless specified otherwise, references to ‘sharks’ in this document should be understood as covering all 

species of the class Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays, skates and chimeras). 

(28)  In the Baltic Sea, Member States are preparing to adopt measures to reduce incidental catches of the 
critically endangered Baltic proper harbour porpoise by closing areas in line with scientific advice. In 
the  Mediterranean  and  Black  Seas,  Member  States  are  preparing  further  mitigation  measures  in  the 
context of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) to protect sensitive species, 
such as reducing catches of endangered sharks and protecting nurseries. In the Black Sea, measures to 
protect sturgeons and the harbour porpoise are also being prepared. In the northeast Atlantic, contracting 
parties have established measures under the Oslo-Paris Convention (OSPAR) to enable the recovery of 
threatened  or  declining  species  and  marine  birds.  For  the  Baltic  Sea,  the  Helsinki  Convention 
(HELCOM) aims to map high-risk areas for seabirds, assess the effectiveness of conservation efforts to 
protect waterbirds coastal fish species and to limit pressures. 

(29)  EU  request  on  emergency  measures  to  prevent  bycatch  of  common  dolphin  (Delphinus delphis)  and 
Baltic Proper harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Northeast Atlantic (ICES Special Request 
Advice, Northeast Atlantic ecoregions, Published 26 May 2020) 

(30)  Article 21 and Annex XIII of Regulation 2019/1241. 

5 

 
                                                 
identify areas of concentration of juvenile fish, and measures to avoid such areas (31). Joint 
action by Member States is necessary to pursue and accelerate work on national measures 
and joint recommendations (32) and to follow the recommendations issued by the General 
Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) on the take-up and spread of such 
innovative tools and practices. To achieve this, it is crucial to provide effective incentives 
and support for the fishing communities concerned and make good use of available EU 
funds. 

The Commission will support Member States by seeking advice from scientific institutions 
on how to improve the current fishing patterns of the EU fleet. Where necessary, on the 
basis of new scientific advice, it will also make use of its implementing powers under the 
Technical Measures Regulation related to the design of fishing gears (33) to ensure a level 
playing field in implementing the provisions on gear selectivity. 

It is particularly important and urgent to improve conservation for critically endangered 
species  that  are  commercially  fished,  such  as  the  European  eel.  The  management  and 
conservation of this migratory species means tackling a range of human activities, so it is 
necessary to take a comprehensive approach covering different policies. 

Action to improve fishing selectivity and reduce the impact of fisheries on sensitive 
species 

The Commission calls on Member States to: 

-  By end of 2023, develop threshold values for the maximum allowable mortality 
rate from incidental catches of the species selected by Member States (34), as part 
of the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (35). 
Adopt  fisheries  management  measures  to  implement  these  threshold  values 
without delay through national measures or, where relevant, by submission of 
joint recommendations. 

-  Adopt national measures or submit joint recommendations to the Commission to 
minimise by-catch (or reduce it to the level that enables the full recovery of the 
populations) of: 

(31) Such as those looked at under DISCARDLESS, MINOW, and ICES advice on innovative gear. 
(32)  As  per  Article 15  of  Regulation  2019/1241  or  Article 11  of  Regulation  1380/2013  (CFP).  See  also 
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/marine/docs/Marine%20SWD%20288%20final.p
df 

(33)  Articles 8(5) and 24(1) (a), (c), (d), (g) of Regulation 2019/1241. 
(34)  Namely,  ‘[s]pecies  of  birds,  mammals,  reptiles  and  non-commercially-exploited  species  of  fish  and 
cephalopods,  which  are  at  risk  from  incidental  by-catch  in  the  region  or  subregion’,  Commission 
Decision  (EU)  2017/848,  Annex,  Part  II,  Criteria  and  methodological  standards,  specifications  and 
standardised methods for monitoring and assessment of essential features and characteristics and current 
environmental status of marine waters under Article 8(1)(a) of Directive 2008/56/EC 

(35)  Directive 2008/56/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 June 2008 establishing a 
framework  for  community  action  in  the  field  of  marine  environmental  policy  (Marine  Strategy 
Framework Directive) 

6 

 
 
 
                                                 
o  by the end of 2023: harbour porpoise in the Baltic Proper and the Black 
Sea,  the  Iberian  Atlantic  and  the  common  dolphin  in  the  Bay  of 
Biscay (36); 

o  by  the  end  of  2024:  angel  sharks,  common  skate,  guitarfish,  Maltese 
skate,  great  white  shark,  sand  tiger  shark,  smalltooth  sand  tiger  shark, 
spiny  butterfly  ray,  sturgeons,  marine  turtles,  Balearic  shearwater  and 
Mediterranean monk seal; 

o  by  2030:  the  remaining  sensitive  marine  species  that  are  at  risk  of 
incidental  catches (37), prioritising those in  ‘unfavourable  conservation 
status’ or threatened by extinction. 

-  By the end of June 2024, improve the protection of the European eel by adopting 
or updating existing Eel Management Plans under the Eel Regulation (38), in the 
light of new knowledge and on the basis of the report referred to in Article 9 of 
the  Eel  Regulation,  in  order  to  strengthen  conservation  and  management 
measures. 

These  eel  management  plans  should  address:  i)  the  impact  of  fisheries  (both 
commercial and recreational and at all stages of the species’ life-cycle) and, ii) 
non-fisheries-related impacts by implementing the related legislation, such as the 
Water Framework Directive (39), the Habitats Directive (40) and the MSFD. The 
plans should include efforts to restore eel habitats, improve the connectivity of 
rivers  and  address  barriers  to  migration,  and  should  improve  transboundary 
cooperation. 

-  By March 2027, update MSFD programmes of measures to include appropriate 
measures  against  the  loss  and  discarding  of  fishing  gear  and  fishing  related 
marine  litter,  based  on  approaches  identified  in  the  MSFD  Common 
Implementation Strategy.  

-  By  2030,  based  on  the  work  by  the  Scientific  Technical  and  Economic 
Committee for Fisheries (STECF), the GFCM and other scientific institutions, 
such as the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), present 
and  implement  additional  measures  to  boost  selectivity,  starting  with  the  fish 
stocks with the highest expected biological gains. The measures should include: 
o  new and innovative gear techniques to reduce catches of small fish; 
o 

location or time-specific measures where there is clear evidence of high 
concentrations of fish below the minimum conservation reference size. 

(36)  For  example,  by  fully  implementing  measures  advised  in  ICES,  2023,  EU  additional  request  on 
mitigation measures to reduce by-catches of common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) in the Bay of Biscay. 
In  Report  of 
ICES  Advice  2023,  sr.2023.01. 
https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.advice.21946634 or measures with an equivalent effect. 

ICES  Advisory  Committee,  2023. 

the 

(37)  As defined in footnote 35 
(38)  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). 

(39)  Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a 

framework for Community action in the field of water policy (OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1). 

(40)  Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna 

and flora (OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7). 

7 

 
 
 
                                                 
-  By 2030, create new and effectively manage all MPAs, ensuring strict protection 

of important fish spawning and nursery areas.  

The Commission will: 

- 

In 2023, ask the STECF to provide as part of its ongoing work (41) advice on: 

o  evaluating the optimum sizes of fish (42) to be caught in fishing gear, in 

o 

order to obtain the highest long-term yield; 
improving  fishing  gear,  taking  into  account  selectivity,  the  mix  of 
targeted  species,  and  both  the  long-term  gains  and  the  transitional 
consequences in social and economic terms. 

-  By the end of 2024, assess, in the context of the report on implementation of the 
Technical  Measures  Regulation,  the  catching,  retaining,  transhipping,  landing 
and  selling  of  species  threatened  with  extinction  or  in  ‘unfavourable 
conservation status’ under the Habitats Directive. 

-  By  the  end  of  2024,  prepare  the  adoption  of  implementing  rules  under  the 

Technical Measures Regulation to:  

improve the selectivity of fishing gears,  

o 
o  develop  detailed  specifications  for  turtle  excluder  devices  in  shrimp 

trawls in the EU waters of the Indian Ocean and West Atlantic,  

o  establish rules on bird-scaring lines and weighted lines in all sea basins. 

-  As soon as threshold values are provided under the MSFD, use the CFP tools (43) 
to  propose  limits  for  the  incidental  catches  of  the  species  covered  by  the 
threshold values. 

Reducing the impact of fisheries on the seabed 

Healthy  seabed  habitats  are  a  key  part  of  healthy  marine  ecosystems.  Their  rich 
biodiversity provides nursery and spawning grounds for many species and contributes to 
maintaining the structure and functioning of marine food webs, as well as to regulating the 
climate. 

Fishing using certain mobile bottom-contact gear (mobile bottom fishing) (44), in particular 
bottom trawling, is among the most widespread and damaging activities to the seabed and 

(41)  Building  upon 

the  work  by  STECF  on 

technical  measures:  STECF  EWG  20-02, 

https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/web/stecf/ewg2002  
and STECF 21-07: https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ewg2107. 

(42)  Commercial species as listed in Annex XIV to Regulation 2019/1241 

(43)  Such as regulations on fishing opportunities, in line with scientific advice. 
(44)  As referred to in Table 1 of the report from the STECF, ‘Support of the Action plan to conserve fisheries 
resources and protect marine ecosystems (STECF-OWP-22-01), Bastardie, F. and Doerner, H. editor(s), 
EUR 28359  EN,  Publications  Office  of  the  European  Union,  Luxembourg,  2022,  ISBN  978-92-76-
52911-8, doi:10.2760/25269, JRC129455. The list includes boat dredges, mechanised dredges including 
suction  dredges,  bottom  otter  trawl,  otter  twin  trawl,  bottom  pair  trawl,  beach  seines,  Danish  seines 
(anchored seine), pair seines, Scottish seines (fly shooting seine), boat seines and beam trawl. 

8 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
its  associated  habitats (45).  Currently,  79%  of  the  coastal  seabed  is  considered  to  be 
physically disturbed, mainly caused by bottom trawling, and a quarter of the EU’s coastal 
area has probably lost its seabed habitats (46). The most intensely fished areas are trawled 
over 10 times a year (47). 

Our ocean and seas are a major natural carbon sink, in particular ocean sediments. There 
is growing recognition of the importance of storing and maintaining blue carbon in marine 
habitats  for  tackling  climate  change (48).  While  marine  carbon  stores  are  still  less  well 
understood  than  land-based  ones,  recent  evidence (49)  suggests  that  disturbing  seabed 
sediment has a direct impact on its capacity to store carbon. 

However, seabed biodiversity can recover if  the pressure is diminished, for example by 
reducing mobile bottom fishing (50). This brings major benefits for ecosystems and society, 
including  fisheries  through  the  recovery  of  fish  stocks  and  increasing  fish  biomass  and 
helps to avoid the degradation of the marine environment. 

EU law already requires the protection and restoration of the seabed. The environmental 
legislation requires the Member States to take measures to protect the seabed to achieve 
the  ‘good  environmental  status’  of  EU  waters  (51).  They  must  also  take  the  necessary 
measures  in  marine  Natura  2000  sites  to  contribute  to  achieving  or  maintaining  the 
‘favourable conservation status’ of certain seabed habitats.  

Fisheries management tools prohibit mobile bottom fishing in the Mediterranean Sea in 
the narrow coastal areas and deeper than 1 000 metres, and in the Atlantic they prohibit 
bottom trawling deeper than 800 metres, with a closure to bottom fishing of 16 419 km2 of 
vulnerable  marine  ecosystems (52).  Bottom  fishing  is  further  restricted  in  particularly 
sensitive areas through a variety of measures and regulations (53).  

In addition, some Member States have taken steps to prohibit or restrict bottom fishing in 
certain  areas  through  national  measures  and  submission  of  CFP  joint  recommendations 

(45)  Fishing was found to be the most extensive human marine activity disturbing the seafloor across regional 
seas of Europe. In the North Sea, a preliminary assessment showed that bottom fishing accounted for 
about 95% of disturbance causing physical abrasion (ICES 2019). In addition, the EEA has assessed that 
79%  of  the  EU’s  coastal  seabed  is  disturbed  by  bottom-trawling  (EU  Commission,  MSFD 
implementation report, 2020). 

(46)  Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the implementation of the 

Marine Strategy Framework Directive (Directive 2008/56/EC), COM/2020/259 final 

(47)  https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/figures/bottom-trawl-fishing-intensity-in. 
(48)  2022 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, 

‘Our ocean, our future, our responsibility: draft declaration’, Lisbon, 27 June–1 July 2022. 

(49)  EEA,  Carbon  stocks  and  sequestration  in  terrestrial  and  marine  ecosystems:  a  lever  for  nature 
restoration? A quick scan for terrestrial and marine EUNIS habitat type, Wageningen, November 2020; 
see also: Cavan & Hill, 2021; Duarte et al., 2020; Luisetti et al., 2019; Pusceddu et al., 2014. 
(50)  See for instance: Hiddink, J.G., et al, ‘Global analysis of depletion and recovery of seabed biota after 

bottom trawling disturbance’, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017. 

(51)  As required by Directive 2008/56/EC 

(52)  Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 of 15 September 2022 determining the existing 
deep-sea fishing areas and establishing a list of areas where vulnerable marine ecosystems are known to 
occur or are likely to occur, OJ L 242, 19.9.2022, p. 1-141. 

(53)  For example, Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2019/1241. 

9 

 
                                                 
(54), as a basis for delegated regulations. In November 2022, based on an EU proposal, the 
GFCM decided to assess the potential impact of changing the depth limits of the current 
fishing  restrictions  in  depths  between  600  and  800 m,  with  a  view  to  possibly  setting 
restrictions in shallower waters. 

Nonetheless,  overall  mobile  bottom  fishing  still  remains  widespread  in  EU  waters.  For 
instance, in the Northeast Atlantic, it takes place in 80-90% of fishable areas (55), including 
in many Natura 2000 sites and other MPAs. This undermines the achievement of global 
conservation  targets  set  by  the  Convention  on  Biological  Diversity (56)  and  risks 
threatening the progress on climate change mitigation.  

The  impact  of  mobile  bottom  fishing  on  the  marine  environment  also  puts  at  risk  the 
sustainability of fisheries and the availability of fish in the medium- and longer-term. Not 
only does it harm the ecosystems on which those fisheries depend, but it is also extremely 
fuel-intensive, generating considerable costs for the sector and a particularly high carbon 
footprint (57). By its very nature, mobile bottom fishing is among the least selective fishing 
methods  and  produces  disproportionate  amounts  of  unwanted  catches (58)  and  discards. 
Discards are particularly concerning, especially at a time when the EU is seeking to reduce 
food waste (59), a highly relevant issue in the broader debate on global food security. 

Resolute action  is  needed  to  protect  and restore  the seabed, including  by  moving away 
from mobile bottom fishing, while in parallel, ensuring that this technique is not replaced 
with equal or worse alternatives. Urgent protection and restoration of seabed habitats in 
MPAs is needed, particularly given their importance as hotspots of EU marine biodiversity, 
their  potential  to  contribute  to  the  increase  in  fish  stocks  and  the  long-standing  legal 
obligations for their effective management. 

To achieve the objectives of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to protect 30% of the EU’s seas, 
the Commission calls on the Member States to make full use of the CFP tools available 
and to phase out mobile bottom fishing in all MPAs by 2030 at the latest. To start with, 
Member  States  should,  by  the  end  of  March  2024,  adopt  national  measures  or,  where 
appropriate,  propose  joint  recommendations  to  the  regional  groups  to  prohibit  mobile 

(54)  Since 2013, Member States agreed in five Joint Recommendations to limit bottom trawling in several 
areas of the Greater North Sea and the Baltic Sea, in part to protect ecologically sensitive reefs. There 
are also national measures adopted in some Member States, measures included in the management plans 
under the Mediterranean Regulation and GFCM measures in place. 

(55)  International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advice for the European Atlantic waters and 
Baltic Sea, EU request on how management scenarios to reduce mobile bottom fishing disturbance on 
seafloor habitats affect fisheries landing and value, ICES Special Request Advice, 24 June 2021. 
According to this ICES advice, similar patterns  have been identified in the Mediterranean and Black 
Seas although differences in methodology means that the results are not directly comparable. 

(56)   Dureuil et al., Elevated trawling inside protected areas undermines conservation outcomes in a global 

fishing hot spot, Science 362, 1403–1407 (2018), DOI: 10.1126/science.aau05.  

(57)  Sala, A., Damalas, D., Labanchi, L. et al. Energy audit and carbon footprint in trawl fisheries. Sci Data 

9, 428 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-022-01478  

(58)  IPBES (2022): Summary  for policymakers of the thematic  assessment of the sustainable use of  wild 
species of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. J.-
M. Fromentin, M.R. Emery, J. Donaldson, M.-C. Danner, A. Hallosserie, D. Kieling, G. Balachander, 
E.S. Barron, R.P. Chaudhary, M. Gasalla, M. Halmy, C. Hicks, M.S. Park, B. Parlee, J. Rice, T. Ticktin, 
pages. 
Tittensor 
and 
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6425599 

secretariat, 

Germany. 

IPBES 

(eds.). 

Bonn, 

33 

D. 

(59)  The revision of the Waste Framework Directive, planned for 2023, will help reduce food waste in line 
with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Commission’s priorities for 2023. 

10 

 
                                                 
bottom  fishing  in  the  MPAs  that  are  Natura  2000  sites  designated  under  the  Habitats 
Directive that protect the seabed and marine species. Also, mobile bottom fishing should 
not be allowed in any newly established MPAs.  

Building  on  the  outcomes  of  the  pledges  submitted  by  Member  States  to  fulfil  the 
Biodiversity Strategy target of protecting at least 30% of EU seas Member States should 
follow scientific advice and take account of the overall effect of the measures on the marine 
ecosystem in the fisheries management decisions. In particular, they must avoid triggering 
changes in fishing practices that could cause harm, such as increasing the impact on marine 
ecosystems or sensitive species by other types of fishing gear.  

With the development of more innovative tools designed to limit the impacts of these types 
of fishing gear, it is essential to continue discussions with the sector to stimulate further 
innovation and the take-up of new solutions on the ground. This is also important to ensure 
that the measures taken remain fit-for-purpose and in step with technological development. 

In line with  the objectives of  the MSFD and the  proposed Nature Restoration  Law, the 
seabed must be protected and restored also outside the MPAs. To this end, Member States 
should swiftly agree on and implement the threshold values for seabed integrity, which are 
currently being developed under the MSFD. 

Action to reduce the impact of fishing on the seabed 

The Commission calls on Member States to: 

-  By  mid-2023,  finalise  the  adoption  of  threshold  values  for  the  maximum 
allowable  extent  of  seabed  that  can  be  lost  or  adversely  affected  by  human 
pressures,  as  part  of  the  MSFD  common  implementation  strategy (60).  They 
should, without delay, adopt national measures or, where relevant, submit joint 
recommendations to implement these threshold values. 

-  By the end of March 2024,  

o  adopt  national  measures  or,  where  appropriate,  propose 

joint 
recommendations  to  the  regional  groups  to  prohibit  mobile  bottom 
fishing  in  the  MPAs  that  are  Natura  2000  sites  designated  under  the 
Habitats Directive that protect the seabed and marine species; 

o  provide an overall outline (61) of how each of them intends to ensure that 
by 2030 mobile bottom fishing is phased out in all MPAs. They should 
provide, for at least 20% of each Member State’s marine waters, a more 
detailed  plan  of  national  measures  and  joint  recommendations  to  be 
developed including, at least, details to identify the areas where mobile 
bottom fishing should be prohibited, and details on the Member States 
and fleets concerned by the measures in those areas. 

-  To adopt national measures and, where relevant, submit joint recommendations 
to  the  Commission  to  ensure  that  mobile  bottom  fishing  is  phased  out  in  all 
MPAs by 2030. 

(60)   As per Article 4 of Decision (EU) 2017/848.  

(61)  This planning should constitute part of the roadmaps referred to in chapter 7. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
The Commission will: 

-  Monitor and track progress on the joint recommendations in the Member States’ 

regional groups. 

-  Support the development and take-up of innovative solutions aimed at limiting 
the impacts of bottom fishing activities, building on a request for ICES advice 
on innovative fishing gear, expected by the end of 2023. 

3.  SECURING A FAIR AND JUST TRANSITION FOR ALL 

The European Green Deal as Europe’s new economic growth strategy sets out measures to 
achieve a fair and just transition of society and the economy to reach an inclusive and truly 
sustainable  development  model.  Fairness  and  inclusiveness  are  the  preconditions  for  a 
successful green transition. 

Better  conservation  and  protection  of marine species and habitats  has  clear benefits  for 
society  and  the  economy,  in  particular  for  the  fishing  and  coastal  communities  whose 
livelihoods directly depend on healthy marine ecosystems. For example,  scientists have 
estimated  that  if  30%  of  the  oceans  were  protected,  the  annual  global  catches  could 
increase by eight million tons, about 10% of the catches today (62).   

While  the  transition  is  needed  and  socio-economically  beneficial  and  while  the  current 
COVID- and war-induced challenges affecting the fisheries sector, including rising energy 
prices,  are  not  linked  to  the  actions  detailed  in  this  action  plan,  including  the  gradual 
phasing-out of bottom fishing in all MPAs, the latter action in particular will have social 
and economic impacts on certain operators and communities (63) and just transition has to 
be ensured. The impacts can range from small shifts in fishing operations that can be easily 
absorbed  to  larger  changes  in  operations  that  would  require  mitigation  action  to  help 
fishers, their communities and operators throughout the supply chain to adjust to broader, 
structural changes.  Impacts could be partially offset by moving fishing activity to other 
fishing areas where this is possible. 

At the same time, the impacts are expected to be more significant in fisheries-dependent 
communities  where  economic  diversification  is  currently  limited.  This  is  why  it  is 
important  to  ensure  that  the  transition  is  gradual  and  that  Member  States  factor  in  the 
specific needs of local communities and support them in this transition, including through 
financial  support.  It  is  important  to  recognise  that,  similarly  to  the  experience  when 
introducing  the  maximum  sustainable  yield  objective,  changes  in  the  practices  of  the 
fishing sector will be compensated in the medium to longer term, as fish stocks recover 

(62)  Sala, E., Mayorga, J., Bradley, D. et al. Protecting the global ocean for biodiversity, food and climate. 

Nature 592, 397–402 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03371-z 

(63)   Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) – Support of the Action plan to 
conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems (STECF-OWP-22-01). Publications Office 
of 
at: 
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360642059_Scientific_Technical_and_Economic_Committe
e_for_Fisheries_STECF_-
_Support_of_the_Action_plan_to_conserve_fisheries_resources_and_protect_marine_ecosystems   

Luxembourg, 

Available 

European 

Union, 

2022. 

the 

12 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
and commercially  fished species move from MPAs to other fishing areas  through spill-
over effects. 

In the short-term, the economic impacts to the sector also arise from the increased energy 
prices.  The  gradual  shift  from  fuel-intensive  bottom  trawling  to  less  energy-intensive 
fishing  methods  can  also  generate  major  savings.  This  is  fully  in  line  with  the 
Commission’s aim to move away from fossil fuels as soon as possible and its ambition to 
support the EU fishing fleet and the aquaculture sector in their structural energy transition. 
To accompany this transition, the Commission has also proposed the introduction of a fuel 
tax in the revision of the EU Energy Taxation Directive (64) and is presenting, at the same 
time as this action plan, the energy transition initiative. 

The Commission calls on Member States to encourage and support fishing communities 
in  the  transition  set  out  in  this  action  plan  and  help  them  to  strengthen  their  resilience, 
innovate and adapt. This includes making better use of the support available through EU 
funding instruments, in particular support for innovation and diversification of economic 
activities,  support  for  the  energy  transition  and  increasing  gear  selectivity.  Numerous 
examples show that that the effective use of EU funds can make a difference, but in the 
past, the share of EU funding used to support marine conservation was too small (65). As 
confirmed  by  the  Court  of  Auditors,  there  is  clearly  scope  to  make  better  use  of  the 
available EU budget.  

The funds to be used for that purpose are primarily the European Maritime, Fisheries and 
Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) (66) and the LIFE (67) programme. They have a central role in 
supporting the policy objectives for climate and biodiversity. Moreover, the Commission 
works  closely  with  Member  States  to  make  sure  that  each  programme  contributes  to 
achieving  the  horizontal  targets  set  in  the  multiannual  financial  framework  for  these 
objectives (68). 

Other  sources  of  funding,  as  highlighted  in  the  Commission’s  ‘Find  your  EU  funding 
programme for the environment’ (69), include Horizon Europe (70), the European Regional 

(64)  Council  Directive  2003/96/EC  of  27  October  2003,  restructuring  the  Community  framework  for  the 
taxation of energy products and electricity. Published in the Official Journal of the European Union no. 
L 283, 51 on 31 October 2003. 

(65)  Court of Auditors Special Report 26/2020, Marine environment: EU protection is wide but not deep, 

page 46. 

(66)  Regulation (EU) 2021/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 July 2021 establishing 
the  European  Maritime,  Fisheries  and  Aquaculture  Fund  and  amending  Regulation  (EU)  2017/1004. 
13% of the fund is directly managed by the Commission. 

(67)  Regulation (EU) 2021/783 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing 
a  Programme  for  the  Environment  and  Climate  Action  (LIFE),  and  repealing  Regulation  (EU) 
No 1293/2013, OJ L 172, 17.5.2021. 

(68)  As regards the EMFAF budget of €5.3 billion available to the Member States for the years 2021 – 2027, 
Member States draft programmes plan to allocate 29% of the budget to biodiversity, and 56% to climate 
change (state of play 28 September 2022). The LIFE programme has a budget of €5.43 billion for 2021-
2027  and  finances  projects  for  the  protection  and  conservation  of  the  marine  environment  and  the 
reduction of pressure on marine ecosystems. 

(69)  DOI 10.2779/768079. 
(70)  Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing 
Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for 
participation and dissemination 

13 

 
 
                                                 
Development Fund (including Interreg) (71), the European Social Fund+ (72), the European 
Agricultural  Fund  for  Rural  Development (73),  the  Connecting  Europe  Facility  and  the 
Recovery  and  Resilience  Facility (74).  Member  States  should  use  these  strategically, 
increase national funding and encourage  investments from the private sector to channel 
support for the transition, for example, smart specialisation strategies for a sustainable blue 
economy. The Commission will continue to support Member States fully in this regard. 

It  is  important  to  make  full  use  of  the  opportunities  for  diversification  and  innovation, 
starting with those identified in the new strategy for a Sustainable Blue Economy in the 
EU (75).  This  strategy  looks  at  developing  new  business  models  to  reduce  the 
environmental footprint of the sector through digitisation and the use of innovative gears 
and  techniques.  To  ensure  that  fisheries  communities  in  transition  can  fully  access  the 
range of opportunities for economic diversification arising in other blue economy sectors, 
the  Commission  will  launch  a  discussion  at  the  upcoming  Blue  Forum,  in  May  2023, 
involving different stakeholders and groups operating at sea and in our oceans. 

Targeted training and upskilling programmes run with EU support under the Erasmus+, 
EMFAF or ESF+ funds could also help build bridges with other blue economy sectors, 
such  as  algae  production  and  regenerative  sea  farming (76),  renewable  energy  and 
sustainable  aquaculture.  Improved  environmental  sustainability,  for  example  through 
effectively  managed  MPAs,  can  provide  additional  or  alternative  livelihoods  for  local 
fishing  communities,  such  as  nature  tourism  and  well-managed  recreational  fishing. 
Fishers can also access EU support to help them in their role as stewards of the sea. Several 
positive examples  (77)  already show how this  partnership can help  them  to  retrieve  and 
collect litter and lost fishing gear.  

Action to achieve a fair and just transition and maximise the use of available funds 

The Commission calls on Member States to: 

-  Take  measures  towards  the  take-up  of  sufficient  funding  by  strategically 
mobilising available resources from EU, national or private funding sources, in 
particular to promote projects to: 

o  support  the  use  of  less  damaging  fishing  techniques  and  projects  that 
implement the EU-wide Natura 2000 network, to meet objectives of the 

(71)  Regulation (EU) No 1301/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on 
the European Regional Development  Fund and on specific provisions concerning the Investment  for 
growth and jobs goal 

(72)  Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing 

the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) 

(73)  Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 on 
support for rural development by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) 

(74)  Regulation  (EU)  2021/241  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  12  February  2021 

establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility (OJ L 57, 18.2.2021, p. 17). 

(75)  Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic 
and  Social  Committee  and  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  on  a  new  approach  for  a  sustainable  blue 
economy in the EU Transforming the EU’s Blue Economy for a Sustainable Future. COM/2021/240 
final. 

(76)  Regenerative sea farming means growing seaweed and shellfish in underwater coastal gardens. 
(77)  https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/news/joining-hands-eu-fight-marine-litter-2021-09-29_en; 

and https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-175441?&lg=EN/EN. 

14 

 
 
 
                                                 
action plan and the needs identified in Member States’ prioritised action 
frameworks (78); 

o  help fisheries communities transition to more selective, less harmful and 

less fuel-consuming fishing practices. 

The Commission will: 

-  Facilitate access to funding opportunities, by: 

o  during 2023, organising and hosting a workshop  for Member States to 
guide and promote the use of funding to implement this action plan; 

o  working  closely  with  Member  States  when  monitoring 

the 
implementation of the EMFAF, to encourage delivery of specific actions 
supporting  the  objectives  of  this  action  plan,  as  well  as  using 
complementary funding possibilities available from other programmes, 
including LIFE; 

o 

implementing  smart  specialisation  strategies  to  prioritise  regional 
research and investment in innovation in blue economy sectors, including 
fisheries. 

-  By the end of 2023, set up grants under EMFAF direct management with a value 
of over €7 million to support projects that contribute to the development of next-
generation  blue  economy  skills  and  provide  opportunities  for  attractive, 
sustainable maritime careers.  

4.  STRENGTHENING THE KNOWLEDGE BASE AND RESEARCH AND INNOVATION 

The  design  and  development  of  initiatives  to  manage  fisheries  and  protect  the  marine 
environment  require  a  sound  knowledge  base.  This,  in  turn,  requires  systematic  data 
collection and scientific monitoring, based on robust methodologies. Although the lack of 
complete scientific information cannot justify postponing or failing to take the necessary 
measures,  it  highlights  the  need  for  greater  investment  in  identifying  and  closing 
knowledge gaps. 

Member States use a range of approaches and a combination of instruments to monitor 
marine  ecosystems  and  environmental  pressures,  notably  through  the  Data  Collection 
Framework (DCF) (79) and monitoring programmes under the MSFD, the Birds Directive 
(80) and the Habitats Directive. However, more effort is needed to ensure that monitoring 
and data collection are adequate for assessing the impacts of fishing on marine habitats and 
species. 

(78)  Adopted by Member States under Article 8 of the Habitats Directive. 
(79)  Regulation  (EU)  2017/1004  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  17 May  2017  on  the 
establishment  of  a  Union  framework  for  the  collection,  management  and  use  of  data  in  the  fisheries 
sector and support for scientific advice regarding the common fisheries policy  and repealing Council 
Regulation  (EC)  No 199/2008.  OJ  L  157,  20.6.2017,  p. 1-21.  EU  multiannual  programme  for  data 
collection as set out in Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2021/1167.  

(80)  Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the 
conservation of wild birds (Birds Directive) and Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the 
conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora (Habitats Directive). 

15 

 
                                                 
This  work  should  include  designing  targeted  monitoring  programmes  to  improve 
observations  and  reporting  of  incidentally  by-caught  species.  The  programmes  should 
cover high-risk fisheries and the potential impacts of all relevant fleet segments, including 
smaller  vessels.  They  should  also  look  at  data  on  recreational  fisheries,  including 
recreational fishing boats, and their impact on the stocks and the marine environment. The 
updated and modernised Control Regulation (81), once adopted by the co-legislators, will 
play an important role in making these improvements. 

More research and data collection is also needed to build knowledge on the status of the 
seabed  and  the  impacts  of  fisheries  on  seabed  habitats,  including  the  distribution  and 
frequency of bottom fishing activities (82) and their impact on carbon sequestration. The 
Commission will launch a study to quantify the carbon storage capacity of different seabed 
habitat types in EU waters and the potential impacts of bottom fishing on this capacity. 

The  transition  to  more  selective  and  environmentally  less  damaging  fishing  practices 
requires a systematic assessment of the costs and benefits, to help fishers, other businesses 
in the sector and society as a whole. This requires better modelling methods to predict and 
assess the social, economic and environmental effects of current and future conservation 
measures. By the end of 2023, the Commission will start developing a modelling tool to 
incorporate  the  concept  of  ‘natural  capital’  in  economic  decisions.  This  will  involve 
assessing and quantifying both the economic value of marine ecosystem services and the 
socio-economic costs and benefits derived from keeping the marine environment healthy. 

It  is  essential  to  send  requests  for  scientific  advice  to  bodies  such  as  the  ICES  and  the 
STECF,  to  ensure  that  policy  is  guided  by  the  best  available  scientific  advice.  For  this 
reason and given the CFP legal requirement to consult the STECF on secondary legislation, 
the  composition  of  the  new  STECF  (2022-2025)  provides  expertise  in  the  fields 
particularly relevant to implementing and supporting this action plan. 

The  European  Environment  Agency  (EEA)  also  provides  essential  support  to  the 
Commission in mapping and assessing the coherence of the marine protected area network 
in EU waters and in assessing the state of marine species, habitats and ecosystems and the 
pressures on them. The EEA’s support in implementing the Biodiversity Strategy focuses 
on protected areas, including tracking the fisheries management measures in MPAs, and 
will be particularly relevant to the work outlined in this action plan. The Commission is 
intends  to  strengthen  cooperation  with  the  EEA  to  help  implement  this  action  plan, 
including by adapting current environmental reporting systems. 

The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) will also underpin the 
efficient implementation of this action plan, as it is another essential tool to build up the 
knowledge base for European Seas. It provides free and unrestricted access to marine data 
collected in the field, covering seven thematic disciplines (83). EMODnet and Copernicus 
Marine will  provide  the  data at  the core of  the European  Digital  Twin Ocean,  a digital 

(81)  Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system 
for  ensuring  compliance  with  the  rules  of  the  common  fisheries  policy,  amending  Regulations  (EC) 
No 847/96,  (EC)  No 2371/2002,  (EC)  No 811/2004,  (EC)  No 768/2005,  (EC)  No 2115/2005,  (EC) 
No 2166/2005, (EC) No 388/2006, (EC) No 509/2007, (EC) No 676/2007, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) 
No 1300/2008,  (EC)  No 1342/2008  and  repealing  Regulations  (EEC)  No 2847/93,  (EC)  No 1627/94 
and (EC) No 1966/2006. OJ L 343, 22.12.2009, p. 1-50. 

(82)  Data recording under the updated and modernised Control Regulation plays a crucial role in this context. 
(83)  Such as on seabed habitats, bathymetry, geology, human activities (e.g. windfarms, aquaculture, vessel 

traffic) as well as on physical, chemical and biological parameters of the marine environment. 

16 

 
 
                                                 
modelling platform that will boost our ability to assess and evaluate policy alternatives for 
the  marine  environment  by  testing  different  management  scenarios.  To  do  this,  the 
platform will incorporate environmental, social and financial information. 

The  EU  research  and  innovation  agenda  supports  the  sustainability  of  fisheries, 
conservation  and  restoration  of  marine  biodiversity.  In  particular,  support  is  available 
through Horizon Europe, both within its general work programme (84) as well as through 
the Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’’ (Mission Ocean and Waters) and 
its  regional  basin  lighthouses (85).  It  can  support  research  and  innovation  on  the 
sustainability of fisheries and the conservation and restoration of marine biodiversity.  

The Mission Ocean and Waters sets ambitious objectives to protect and restore marine and 
freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. The priorities include smart and environmentally 
friendly fishing gear, multi-purpose use of marine space, green and energy-efficient small 
scale fishing vessels, increasingly powered by renewable and low-carbon fuels and related 
operations. In combination, it will involve building up knowledge of various ecosystem 
components, developing breakthrough solutions to protect marine resources and habitats, 
and improving monitoring methods, including through the use of artificial intelligence. 

Additional  support  for  data  collection,  research  and  innovation  is  available  through 
EMFAF and LIFE programmes. 

Action to strengthen the knowledge base, research and innovation 

The Commission calls on Member States to: 

- 

Identify  and  develop  solutions  and  incentives  to  reduce  the  environmental 
impacts of fishing, such as innovative fishing gear, new patterns of fishing, and 
improved  fishing  practices.  For  this,  Member  States  can  draw  on  dedicated 
national and EU funding for research and stakeholder involvement, in particular 
to fund outreach and specialised (and regional) training,  for example on good 
practices in marine stewardship. 

-  By the end of 2023, under EU environmental and fisheries law, define objectives 
and specific data needs for each sea basin to monitor the impact of fishing on 
ecosystems and carbon sequestration, involving authorities at regional level as 
appropriate, and then allocating sufficient funds for these activities. 

-  By the end of 2024 (86), submit updated national DCF work plans (87) to improve 
data collection planning and efforts, including in relation to by-catch of sensitive 
species and impact of fishing on the seabed. 

(84)  And  more  specifically  through  “Cluster  6:  Food,  Bioeconomy,  Natural  Resources,  Agriculture  and 

Environment” of Horizon Europe’s Work Programme.  

(85)  EU Mission: Restore our Ocean and Waters:  https://research-and-

innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-
europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/restore-our-ocean-and-waters_en 

(86)  Or for some Member States 2027, depending on the timeframe of the current work plans. 
(87) As required by Art 6 of EU Regulation 2017/1004 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
The Commission will: 

-  Throughout  the 2021-2027 budget period (and the next  work  programmes  for 
Horizon Europe, including the Mission Ocean and Waters, EMFAF and LIFE, 
in  particular) promote the use of  funding for  advice, research and innovation. 
The funding should specifically target action to design and test innovative gear 
and techniques addressing incidental by-catch, and to quantify the EU’s seabed 
carbon sequestration capacity and the potential impacts of bottom fishing. 

-  By the end of 2023, start developing a modelling tool to incorporate the concept 
of ‘natural capital’ in economic decisions. This implies assessing and quantifying 
both the economic value of marine ecosystem services and the socio-economic 
costs and benefits derived from keeping the marine environment healthy. 

-  By  the  end  of  2023,  gather  EMODnet’s  seven  thematic  areas  of  bathymetry, 
geology, seabed habitat, chemistry, biology, physics and human activities on a 
single-entry portal, to improve visibility and user friendliness. 

- 

- 

In 2024, launch a study quantifying the EU’s seabed carbon storage capacity and 
possible impacts of bottom fishing activities on this capacity. 

In 2024, launch preparatory work to develop an interactive platform on selective 
and innovative fishing gear, sharing knowledge and good practices. 

-  By the end of 2025, through the next Horizon Europe work programmes 2025-
2027,  including  the  work  plan  of  the  Mission  Ocean  and  Waters,  develop 
scalable solutions  designed to conserve  fisheries  resources  and protect  marine 
ecosystems  by  creating  marine  protected  areas,  reducing  and  halting  marine 
pollution, and reducing the environmental impact of fishing.  

5.  MONITORING AND ENFORCEMENT 

EU  fisheries  and  environmental  legislation  are  only  as  good  as  their  implementation. 
Member States need to take action to implement, monitor and enforce the rules, and the 
Commission needs to monitor the Member States’ compliance with them. 

Member States’ monitoring and enforcement of the CFP rules (88) are mainly regulated by 
the  Fisheries  Control  Regulation,  which  the  Commission  proposed  to  strengthen  in 
2018 (89). After almost five years of interinstitutional discussions and negotiations, there 
is an urgent need to finalise the revision and put in place an updated, more modern and 
more effective monitoring system to support the transition to more sustainable fisheries. 

(88)  Rules  of  the  common  fisheries  policy  means  EU  legislation  on  the  conservation,  management  and 
exploitation of living aquatic resources, on aquaculture and on processing, transport and marketing of 
fisheries and aquaculture products (Article 4(2) of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009). 

(89)  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 {SEC(2018) 267 final} - {SWD(2018) 279 final} - {SWD(2018) 280 final} 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
In  addition  to  implementing  the  Environmental  Crime  Directive (90),  the  Commission’s 
enforcement action over the past two decades has been central to progress with the correct 
implementation  of  EU  laws  on  biodiversity  and  the  CFP  rules (91).  The  Biodiversity 
Strategy strengthened the Commission’s commitment to enforce these laws, for example, 
on  the  completion  and  effective  management  of  Natura  2000  sites  and  the  by-catch  of 
protected species. 

The Commission will step up enforcement under the MSFD, which so far has only focused 
on  reporting  requirements,  and  it  will  pursue  more  substantive  cases  of  incorrect 
implementation of the Directive. In the context of the ongoing review of the Directive, the 
Commission will also assess if there is a need to clarify certain legal obligations.  

Member States have so far underused the provision to request action by the EU institutions 
wherever they identify an issue that has an impact on the environmental status of its marine 
waters that they cannot tackle through national measures or that is linked to another policy, 
such  as  fisheries (92).  The  European  Court  of  Auditors  concluded  that  this  weakens 
coordination between policy areas (93). The Commission is assessing the above provision 
as part of the review of the MSFD and, based on its findings, may propose a revision to 
improve its effectiveness. 

The  European  Fisheries  Control  Agency  (EFCA) (94),  supported  in  certain  areas  by  the 
European Maritime Safety Agency  (EMSA) and the European Border and Coast Guard 
Agency (FRONTEX), also assists Member States and the Commission in fulfilling their 
tasks and obligations mandated by the CFP. In future, EFCA’s work programme should 
encompass  action  on  monitoring  fisheries  that  specifically  contribute  to  achieving  the 
objectives  of  this  action  plan.  This  should  entail  specific  action  in  EFCA’s  joint 
deployment plans, in line with the Commission Implementing Decision (95) establishing 
specific control and inspection programmes (SCIPs). 

Action to improve implementation, monitoring and enforcement 

The Commission calls on Member States to: 

-  With regard to negotiations on the new Fisheries Control Regulation, improve 
the monitoring of fisheries, for example, by using innovative tools such as remote 
electronic  monitoring,  through  enhanced  catch  recording  and  reporting  of 
sensitive species and distribution of fishing effort. They should also ensure that 

(90)  Directive  2008/99/EC  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  19 November  2008  on  the 

protection of the environment through criminal law, OJ L 328, 6.12.2008, p. 28-37. 

(91)  The second five-year report on implementation of the Control Regulation provides a state of play on the 
enforcement action taken by the Commission between 2015 and 2019: EUR-Lex - 52021DC0316 - EN 
- EUR-Lex (europa.eu) 

(92)  Article 15 of the MSFD. 
(93)  Special  Report  26/2020,  Marine  environment:  EU  protection  is  wide  but  not  deep,  page  47, 

recommendation 87, reference to Article 15 of the MSFD. 

(94) Regulation (EU) No 2019/173. 
(95)  Commission implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1986 of 13 December 2018 establishing specific control 
and inspection programmes for certain fisheries and repealing Implementing Decisions 2012/807/EU, 
2013/328/EU, 2013/305/EU and 2014/156/EU, OJ L 317/29 of 14 December 2018. 

19 

 
 
                                                 
EMFAF  allocations  are  channelled  into  effective  and  strong  action  on 
monitoring, inspection and enforcement. 

-  Allocate  sufficient  resources  to  assess  compliance  with  environment  and 
fisheries  rules  review  or  adapt  the  measures  needed  to  implement  this  action 
plan. 

The Commission will: 

-  Step up implementation and enforcement of environment and fisheries rules by: 

o  continuing or initiating infringement proceedings; 
o  using the tools available under the CFP, such as audits and monitoring 

action plans together with the Member States. 

-  Continue  working  with  the  co-legislators  to  achieve  swift  adoption  of  an 

ambitious and revised Control Regulation. 

- 

In  2023,  begin  revising  the  Commission  Implementing  Decision  establishing 
specific  control  and  inspection  programmes  (SCIPs)  for  certain  fisheries (96), 
with the objective of aligning it to this action plan by 2024. 

-  Work with EFCA to align the joint deployment plans to the revised SCIPs and 

align the future work programme to the objectives of this action plan.  

6.  GOVERNANCE, STAKEHOLDER INVOLVEMENT AND OUTREACH 

Successful implementation of environmental and fisheries management measures requires 
the  support  of  all  stakeholders,  in  particular  fishers.  Therefore,  when  developing  and 
implementing measures, it is essential to work with transparency, cooperation, outreach, 
information and inclusiveness. 

Member States have clear responsibilities and obligations for the protection of the marine 
environment. The CFP provides tools to implement the fisheries measures needed to meet 
these obligations.  In particular,  the CFP  provides the basis for  all stakeholders  to  work 
together through regional groups and Advisory Councils to define and agree on the most 
suitable  fisheries  measures  for  every  local  or  regional  factors.  This  approach  has  the 
potential to achieve the transition and translate it from a political ambition into real action 
on the ground. 

Although  at  the  outset  Member  States  in  implementing  the  regional  approach  mostly 
focused on the landing obligation, it has delivered broader achievements in recent years, 
particularly since the adoption of the Technical Measures Regulation in 2019. However, 
work on the necessary fisheries management measures in marine Natura 2000 sites under 
Article 11 of the CFP (97) has progressed at a very uneven pace in the different sea basins.  

Joint recommendations for fisheries measures within MPAs started to accelerate only as 
of 2021, but the overall number is still very low and their conservation scope limited. The 
take-up is insufficient, given the importance of these fisheries management measures for 

(96) Referred to in Article 95 of Regulation Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 

(97)  See Footnote 29 on Article 11 of Regulation 1380/2013 (CFP). 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
the effective implementation of and compliance with EU legislation on the protection and 
the restoration of the marine environment.  

It is clear that to tackle the planetary crises and accelerating loss of marine biodiversity 
and  ecosystem  integrity,  which  has  detrimental  socio-economic  consequences  due  to 
declining fish stocks and food security risks, Member States have to speed up and raise the 
ambition  of  the  regional  approach.  There  is  a  need  to  renew  the  EU's  collective 
commitment  to  marine  conservation  and  secure  a  clear  political  commitment  of  all 
stakeholders and institutions to implement the environmental legislation effectively, use 
the current CFP policy tools and make them work. 

It is essential that this process is transparent and involves all stakeholders and authorities. 
Under  the  EU  treaties,  the  conservation  of  marine  biological  resources  is  the  EU’s 
exclusive  competence,  but  environmental  policy  is  a  shared  competence  with  Member 
States. As a result, separate and uncoordinated decision-making processes have developed 
at  all  levels,  preventing  the  adoption  and  implementation  of  coherent  management 
measures. It is crucial to improve the links between the two policy areas and significantly 
enhance transparency and coordination between the multiple authorities and stakeholders. 
This would enable the EU to design and develop win-win solutions that benefit both the 
fishers and the environment.   

To reflect the commitment to accelerate action and improve transparency, Member States 
should  prepare  and  publish  roadmaps,  with  a  timeline,  outlining  national  measures  and 
other measures they plan to put forward through joint recommendations, that are necessary 
to fulfil the objectives of this action plan. This should include relevant measures defined 
in chapters 2, 3 and 6 of this Communication. The roadmaps should build on the Member 
States’ pledges to fulfil the objectives of the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. To facilitate 
the process, the Commission will provide a template for the roadmaps. 

To  support  Member  States  with  the  implementation  of  the  action  plan  and  ensure 
coherence  and  effectiveness,  the  Commission  will  create  a  new  joint  special  group  for 
Member States, with stakeholders as observers. The aim will be to facilitate knowledge 
sharing and discussions between fisheries and environmental communities, as well as to 
give the Member States’ a platform for transparency and dialogue on the implementation 
of their roadmaps. The Commission will also continue to encourage other EU institutions 
and national  authorities to  increase  transparency  and  cooperation between fisheries  and 
environmental parties and experts.  

To  improve  clarity  and  facilitate  implementation  of  the  current  legal  framework,  the 
Commission has provided guidance on the roles and responsibilities of all actors in the 
procedures  laid  down  in  Article 11  of  the  CFP  (98).  The  Commission  will  also  provide 
further guidance on Article 6 of the Habitats Directive and fisheries legislation.  

To reduce the impact of fishing on the marine environment, consumers and markets must 
also take an active role. This is crucial to stimulate demand for fish sourced with minimal 
environmental  and  climate  impacts.  Private-sector  eco-labelling  initiatives  are  popular, 
showing  that  consumers  are  keen  to  purchase  products  that  take  a  more  sustainable 
approach  to  the  management  of  fish  stocks.  It  is  important  that  these  initiatives  are 
methodologically sound to avoid misleading consumers. This will be further ensured via 

(98)  Commission  Staff  Working  Document  on  the  establishment  of  conservation  measures  under  the 
Common Fisheries Policy for Natura 2000 sites and for Marine Strategy Framework Directive purposes, 
SWD 288 final.  

21 

 
                                                 
the adopted proposal  on the Consumer Empowerment  for the  Green Transition  and the 
upcoming proposal to tackle false green claims. 

As  announced  in  the  farm  to  fork  strategy,  it  is  important  to  continue  work  on  the 
sustainable  food  system  initiative  that  the  Commission  plans  to  propose  in  2023  for  a 
harmonised EU approach to sustainable food production. 

While  enhancing  the  standards  of  conservation  of  marine  biological  resources  and  the 
protection of marine biodiversity and ecosystems as described above, the EU should hold 
its vessels to at least the same standards when they fish on the high seas or in the exclusive 
economic zone of non-EU countries as when they fish in EU waters.  In addition to the 
work  done  in  RFMOs,  sustainable  fisheries  partnership  agreements  (SFPAs)  also 
contribute to fostering international fisheries governance through promotion of sustainable 
fisheries  in  partner  countries.  The  MSFD  also  requires  regionalised  decision-making, 
including through cooperation with non-EU countries, bilaterally and/or through relevant 
international instruments such as regional sea conventions (99). 

Improving governance, stakeholder involvement and outreach 

The Commission calls on Member States to: 

-  by the end of March 2024, prepare and publish roadmaps (100) outlining all the 
measures  needed  to  implement  this  action  plan,  including  timelines  for  their 
adoption / submission, and proposals to improve coordination between national 
authorities and stakeholders. 

The Commission will: 

- 

In 2023, establish a joint special group for Member States, with stakeholders as 
observers,  specifically  tasked  with  providing  support  to  the  Commission  in 
implementing the action plan and monitoring its progress. 

-  By the end of 2024, adopt a guidance document on Natura 2000 and fisheries 

-  Regularly  inform  the  European  Parliament,  the  Council,  the  Economic  and 
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the implementation of 
this action plan. 

7. 

FRAMEWORK TO IMPLEMENT THIS ACTION PLAN 

This action plan sets out a range of actions and support measures to better protect fisheries 
resources  and  marine  ecosystems  and  to  improve  coherence  and  coordination  between 
environmental and fisheries policies at all levels. It is designed to ease the fisheries sector’s 
transition  towards  more  sustainable  fishing  practices  and  to  help  it  achieve  greater 

(99)  Four regional sea conventions cover EU marine waters: the Convention for the Protection of the Marine 
Environment of the Baltic Sea (Helsinki Convention - HELCOM), the Convention for the Protection of 
the Marine Environment of the North-east Atlantic (Oslo-Paris Convention - OSPAR), the Convention 
for the Protection of the Marine Environment and the Coastal Region of the Mediterranean (Barcelona 
Convention – UNEP-MAP) and the Convention for the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution 
(Bucharest Convention). The EU is a contracting party to the first three. 

(100) The Commission will provide templates for the roadmaps to guide the Member States in the process. 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                 
resilience. It is a guide for Member States to help them prioritise measures, with a focus 
on the protection of sensitive species, the seabed and on improving fishing selectivity.  

To implement these measures and make them work effectively, fisheries, environmental 
bodies, the Commission, the  European Parliament, the Council and  the Member States, 
must  work  closely  together.  While  a  renewed  political  commitment  and  impetus  is 
necessary,  the  CFP  regional  approach  remains  the  right  framework  to  implement  this 
action  plan,  as  it  takes  full  account  of  regional  differences  and  circumstances.  In  this 
process, the ongoing work in the context of the RFMOs requires particular attention, given 
the state of the shared and straddling stocks and the need to work with non-EU countries 
operating in EU waters. 

The Commission proposes the following framework to implement this action plan. 

- 

- 

In  Spring  2023,  the  Commission  will  provide  to  Member  States  a  template  and 
guidance to facilitate the preparation of the roadmaps 

In autumn 2023, the Commission will call the first meeting of the new joint special 
group to support Member States in preparing their national roadmaps and start the 
tracking process.  

-  By  the  end  of  March  2024,  Member  States  will  submit  roadmaps  to  the 
Commission and make them public. These roadmaps should outline the national 
measures  and  other  measures 
joint 
recommendations  in  order to  meet  the objectives of the  action  plan, including  a 
timeline to 2030.  

to  propose 

through 

intend 

they 

-  During the first half of 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. Progress on the implementation of this action plan 
will be assessed against (1) the measures announced and outlined in the roadmaps 
for  2030,  and  (2)  the  national  measures  or  joint  recommendations,  taken  or 
submitted by March 2024. 

-  Depending  on  its  assessment  of  progress  made,  and  in  line  with  its  right  of 
initiative,  the  Commission  will  consider  whether  further  action  is  needed  to 
improve  implementation  of  any  of  the  measures  presented  in  this  action  plan, 
including by issuing a legislative proposal based on a thorough impact assessment. 

8.  CONCLUSION 

The EU has been a driving force behind efforts to reach an agreement on ambitious targets 
for the new global biodiversity framework and now needs to translate this into deliverables.  

Countering the triple crises our planet faces: climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution 
has become more urgent than ever in order to protect and restore Europe’s seas and oceans 
and  ensure  Europe’s  food  security  and  socio-economic  wellbeing  for  fishers,  coastal 
communities and societies at large. There is an urgent need to support EU fisheries and 
help them in increasing their resilience and contributing to the protection and restoration 
of marine ecosystems on which they depend. 

23 

 
 
As part of the Fisheries and Oceans Pact under the CFP Communication (101) and together 
with actions stemming from the energy transition initiative, the Commission calls on all 
involved  –  Member  States,  European  Parliament  and  Council  -  to  be  ambitious  in  the 
implementation  of  this  action  plan  and  work  together  in  close  cooperation  with 
stakeholders, to implement the EU environmental and fisheries policies in full coherence 
to ensure a thriving sustainable fisheries sector in coexistence and synergy with healthy 
and biodiverse marine ecosystem.  

(101) COM(2023)103 

24