News
October 22, 2024
Short-sighted decision by EU fisheries ministers pushes Baltic Sea ecosystem closer to collapse
PRESS RELEASE from: Seas At Risk, FishSec, Coalition Clean Baltic, WWF Baltic Sea Programme, Deutsche Umwelthilfe and Suomen Luonnonsuojeluliitto (Finnish Association for Nature Conservation) Short-sighted decision by EU fisheries ministers pushes Baltic Sea ecosystem closer to collapse The Agriculture and Fisheries Council decided today on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2025. In a move that … Continued
October 16, 2024
A Baltic Sea in crisis: Why EU ministers must apply a precautionary approach to fishing opportunities this time
The Baltic Sea is in crisis. Several fish populations have collapsed and others are in steep decline. The most recent scientific advice on fishing opportunities paints a sobering picture of the state of forage fish populations like Baltic herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea. Current fishing limits, although some have been reduced in recent years, will not … Continued
October 7, 2024
Ocean Week in Brussels: A pivotal moment for Europe’s seas
Last week, Ocean Week took centre stage in Brussels, bringing together policy makers, environmental organisations and ocean advocates to discuss the urgent steps needed to protect and restore Europe’s seas. A series of debates, exhibitions and events highlighted the growing pressures on our oceans and explored how the EU can lead efforts to rebuild marine abundance in a way that also supports a just transition to low impact fisheries.
October 7, 2024
EU Court of Justice upholds annulment of EU-Morocco fisheries agreement
European Court of Justice has ruled the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement invalid, citing the lack of consent from the people of the Western Sahara - a disputed territory - saying that future agreements must give equal weight to the rights of local residents and sustainable resource management.
September 26, 2024
Baltic Coast Dialog: First workshop on marine and coastal restoration
The "Blue Restoration" workshop centered on opportunities to restore the Baltic coastal and marine ecosystems. Over two days, the meeting offered both inspiring presentations and constructive dialogue among the participants.
September 25, 2024
PECH rejects attempt to remove safeguards in management plans
FishSec welcomes the European Parliament's fisheries committee (PECH) vote on 23 September, that rejected the Commission's proposal to remove safeguards for fish populations under a number of fisheries management plans (MAPs). The proposal was met with strong opposition from environmental NGOs, emphasising the need to fully implement the fish stock safeguards in order to protect vulnerable fish populations as upcoming negotiations on EU fishing limits approach.
June 18, 2024
Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2025
The decline of fish populations in the Baltic Sea ecosystem has been extensively documented and analyzed by now. This decline has been ongoing for decades but has intensified in recent years, with some fish populations collapsing or being on the verge of collapse. The latest ICES assessment again shows that populations of commercially harvested stocks are … Continued
June 4, 2024
Mediterranean long-term management measures for European eel discussed this week
Since 2018, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) has been at the forefront of European eel management. However, the current GFCM measures adopted in 2023 are still far from aligned with the scientific advice and are unlikely to secure eel recovery. The long-term management measures that the GFCM is set to adopt in … Continued
June 3, 2024
NGOs call on decision makers to do right by the Baltic Sea ecosystem – new scientific advice shows that Baltic fish stocks are still under stress
On Friday, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) published its scientific advice on how much fish can be caught in the Baltic Sea next year. The numbers show that the Baltic Sea ecosystem and fish stocks remain in severe distress and that even the cuts in catches that have been made … Continued
April 26, 2024
Now recruiting: Fisheries Policy Officer
FishSec is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the protection and restoration of marine ecosystem services, with a focus on fisheries in the Baltic Sea region and the European Union. Our long-term goal is well managed seas with rich biodiversity and thriving fish stocks to secure healthy and local seafood to consumers and a sustainable fishing … Continued