Western Mediterranean Sea fish stocks start to recover after five years of EU management plan
The European Commission (EC) recently published a report on the implementation of the Western Mediterranean multi-annual management plan for demersal fish stocks and its fisheries. Results show that numerous fish stocks have started to recover after 2019.
According to scientific projections, half of the stocks could reach sustainable fishing levels by 2025. The EC said these positive advancements mark a turning point on the road to the full recovery of the Western Mediterranean fish stocks.
The latest data from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) shows that 20 per cent of the stocks are being harvested sustainably – at maximum sustainable yield (MSY) – and that 15 per cent are close. The management plan has enabled stocks such as red mullet in the Gulf of Lion to fully recover, while ensuring long-term social and economic viability for fishers operating in the region.
The main objectives of the management plan since 2019 were:
to achieve sustainable fishing levels for 20 stocks by January 2025, and
to address the structural overcapacity of the Mediterranean fleet
The plan started with a five-year transition period for the fleet to adapt to the new management measures, with the objective of limiting the social and economic impact on fishers. The plan’s management tools have also increased transparency in fisheries management in the Western Mediterranean Sea.
The Western Mediterranean fleet showed high profitability in 2023, according to recent economic data. The fleet’s positive economic performance was mainly due to high first sale prices and contained fuel costs.
Member states also received support for the plan implementation with funding for the sector through the European Maritime Fisheries Fund and the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund.
This report shows how the multi-annual management plan allowed Spain, France, Italy, and their fishing sectors to shift from traditional and limited effort management at national level to a more efficient EU fisheries management system.
The multi-annual management plan for demersal stocks in the Western Mediterranean Sea was adopted in 2019 and is the first and only EU management plan in the Mediterranean Sea where most stocks are under shared management with non-EU countries.
The plan covers fisheries for species in Spanish, French and Italian waters of the Mediterranean Sea. According to the Annual Economic Report (AER) of 2023, more than 4,300 fishers and over 1,200 trawlers are active in the western Mediterranean Sea, including both the demersal coastal and deep-water sectors.
During the plan’s transition period, a fishing effort regime for trawlers was introduced to achieve an overall reduction of 40 per cent of fishing effort within five years. In December 2021, based on scientific advice, the Council introduced a holistic approach, combining effort measures for both trawlers and longliners and catch limits for deep-water shrimps.
In 2022, the Fishing Opportunities Council Regulation introduced a new compensation mechanism for trawlers. This mechanism is designed to encourage trawlers to use more selective gear and to fish in areas that avoid juveniles and spawners. The mechanism was further implemented in the 2023 and 2024 Fishing Opportunities Regulations.
The year 2025 marks the end of the initial five-year transition period that allowed the fleet to gradually adapt to the new measures. As a result, from January 2025, all provisions of the Western Mediterranean plan will apply to achieve and maintain fishing at sustainable levels for all stocks covered by the plan.
