An EU strategy for fisheries external action

Blue Marine welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the call for evidence for an EU strategy on fisheries external action. In our reply (attached), we raise two important topics for consideration and improvement: (1) the discrimination of West Africa crew working on board European fishing vessels; and (2) the continued mismanagement of drifting fish aggregating devices.

Accountability.Fish EU Fisheries Strategy Feedback (September 2025) Accountability.Fish is an NGO focused on improving international ocean and fisheries governance by promoting transparency, accountability, and compliance in related management policies.

The Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) comprises more than 130 organizations globally, working to ensure the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems and deep-sea biodiversity from destructive practices. The DSCC holds observer status and is actively engaged in all deep-sea Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), as well as CCAMLR and CAOFA.

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), Oceana, The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts and WWF are working together to promote EU leadership in improving global fisheries transparency and governance to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Please find attached the EU IUU Fishing Coalition's feedback to the Call for Evidence on the EU strategy for fisheries external action.

The attached document includes contributions from the Secretariat-General for Fisheries of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the call for evidence on the EU strategy for external action on fisheries.//The attached document including the contributions of the General Secretariat for Fisheries of the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to the call for evidence on the EU strategy for…

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

The EU fisheries strategy should fully align with international human rights and environmental agreements and principles, including the human right to a clean environment, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It should also incorporate existing EU instruments on corporate behaviour, including CSRD, CSDDD, SFDR, etc. and require due diligence through the entire fisheries supply chain.

At international level, the EU actively contributes to the sustainable management of fisheries through multilateral and bilateral actions, in line with the objectives of the CFP. However, room for improvement remains for optimal co-management of fishery resources, in accordance with international law.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

The European Association of fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) is witnessing the changing global context in which EU fisheries are evolving, since the emergence of the Regulation on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP, 1380/2013), and more recently, the inclusion of the Part VI, on External Action in the CFP, with the aim to contribute to more responsible international fisheries governance.

The International Pole and Line Foundation works to increase equity in global fisheries management to improve market access for small-scale, one-by-one tuna fisheries. We are pleased to see the open call for feedback to guide the EUs strategy for external action.

The LDAC wishes to submit its preliminary response to the EU strategy for fisheries external action within the deadline assigned. The LDAC will continue working in providing feedback to the European Commission teams through the consultation process with the view of providing detailed, technical, evidence-based advice containing a number of detailed recommendations to inform the future EC Communication to make this…

True economic sustainability requires healthy marine ecosystems. The EU strategy must prioritize biodiversity protection, bycatch reduction, and genuine partnerships over market access advantages. Key Reforms Needed 1.

The Joint Ventures in Fishing (hereinafter SMP) are, as evidenced by the various economic and social impact measures, relevant both in the EU and in third countries. They should therefore form an essential pillar of the EU Strategy for external action on fisheries, with explicit recognition in European legislation that marks the future, given its overall strategic utility in the EU in that they generate economic and…

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

The future role of the EU in the External Action Strategy for fisheries should be aimed at consolidating the activity of the EU’s external fleet and ensuring a minimum level of food sovereignty and sustainability in the Union, avoiding that fisheries supply can be left to third countries in the medium term, thereby avoiding the profound problems affecting other sectors of the EU economy.

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

TRAFFIC International welcomes the opportunity to provide the European Commission with evidence to support the development of the EU Strategy on EU Fisheries External Action. Firstly, we would like to associate ourselves with the submission made by WWF European Policy Office to this call for evidence. TRAFFIC is also a member of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency.

Europêche welcomes the European Commission initiative to call for feedback on the EU strategy for fisheries external action. As a general comment, we call for meaningful involvement of the sector in the formulation and review of EU external fisheries policies to ensure its legitimacy, acceptance, and effectiveness. Please find enclosed our feedack.

Conservation International (CI) works around the world in more than 30 countries to protect marine ecosystems and promote sustainable livelihoods of communities who rely on those ecosystems. Unfortunately, distant-water fleets (DWF) from the EU, China, and Taiwan, among others, operate in the waters of coastal resource-owning States, often without communities knowing who is fishing, what is being caught, or the…

This response from The Pew Charitable Trusts supplements Pew's earlier submission to the CFP evaluation (Jan-Apr 2025). It sets out how the EU's fisheries external action can better align with environmental and social policies, strengthen shared stock management, enhance the EU's role in RFMOs, improve SFPAs, and intensify efforts against IUU fishing. 1) Alignment of EU fisheries external action with other policies.

We regard the European Ocean Pact and the European Union Fisheries External Action Strategy as a significant opportunity for the forward-looking development of global fisheries governance. Provided that their implementation is based on inclusive cooperation, equality and fairness, and a capacity-building-oriented approach, the Pact and the Strategy could become a model for the successful management of oceans and…

We regard the European Ocean Pact and the European Union Fisheries External Action Strategy as a significant opportunity for the forward-looking development of global fisheries governance. Provided that their implementation is based on inclusive cooperation, equality and fairness, and a capacity-building-oriented approach, the Pact and the Strategy could become a model for the successful management of oceans and…

The EUs growing role in international ocean governance, combined with its reliance on seafood imports and shared stocks, requires a more coherent external fisheries policy. For importers, aligning external action with the Common Fisheries Policy is important but challenging. Importers support EU efforts to promote sustainability, fair competition, and stronger governance.

The European Marine Board (EMB) Secretariat welcomes this initiative to update the EUs strategic approach to external action on fisheries and on EU Ocean diplomacy, and to ensure a level playing field. We start by recalling the importance of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) to inform any fisheries action: The need to implement EBFM is enshrined in many EU and internal policies and agreements, but its…

EFFOP represents European producers of marine ingredients, key players in the blue food value chains. Our industry provides high quality marine proteins and nutrients such as essential omega-3 fatty acids to the aquaculture, livestock and petfood sectors.

Ref.:206/2025 MEDAC ADVICE EU CALL for evidence A Strategy on EU Fisheries External Action With reference to the EU call for evidence Strategy for External Action in the Fisheries Sector, for which the EU Commission has invited stakeholders, including Advisory Councils, to submit contributions, given that MEDAC generally agrees with the objectives of the Commission's initiative, in particular the strengthening of…

EJF protects marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and the livelihoods they support. We promote sustainable, legal, and equitable fisheries, combat illegal and destructive practices, and advocate for MPAs that enhance biodiversity, climate resilience, and community well-being, placing grassroots defenders at the heart of our approach.

Unfair competition from 3 countries significantly restricts the potential of the world’s. Fishery products from 3 countries are not governed by the principles of sustainability and fair trade.It is necessary to ensure the sustainability of covert fishing factors.Any unsustainable practice in these areas puts at risk the sustainability of ecosystems.

Filed in Greek · English published by the European Commission

CFFA calls for an EU strategy for fisheries external action focused on transparency, social justice, environmental sustainability and the meaningful participation of African artisanal fishing communities, which are the backbone of fisheries in Africa.

We welcome the development of a strategic approach to the EUs external action in fisheries and appreciate the opportunity to contribute. We urge the European Commission to ensure that this initiative aligns with the EUs environmental values, legal obligations under Article 13 TFEU, and global leadership on sustainability and ocean diplomacy.