The European Commission (EC) has adopted its proposal for fishing opportunities for 2025 for the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. The proposal promotes the sustainable management of fish stocks in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas and delivers on the political commitments made in the MedFish4Ever and Sofia Declarations.
The remaining fishing opportunities will be proposed after the results of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) annual session and the release of new scientific advice expected in mid-November by the Scientific, Technical, and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).
The Western Mediterranean MAP for demersal stocks will enter its permanent phase as of January 1, 2025, following the conclusion of the five-year transitional period. The Commission, therefore, proposes the continued implementation of all sustainable fishing measures derived from the MAP. These measures include limits on fishing efforts for trawlers and longliners, catch limits for deep-water shrimp and a compensation mechanism for trawlers.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the proposal includes the measures agreed under the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in 2023, such as the MAP for common dolphinfish and the extension of the GFCM plans for blackspot seabream and deep-water shrimps, with a gradual reduction in catches. The proposal for red coral and European eel will be updated after the GFCM annual session in November 2024, as the current GFCM transitional measures expire at the end of this year.
In the Adriatic Sea, the proposal includes the implementation of the GFCM MAPs for demersal and small pelagic stocks. It proposes to continue implementing limits on fishing efforts for demersal stocks, with the goal of reaching sustainable fishing levels by 2026. For small pelagic, the proposal includes the implementation of the permanent phase of the MAP from 2025 onwards, after a three-year transitional period. The GFCM is expected to adopt decisions on further implementation of both Adriatic MAPs at the 2024 GFCM annual session.
In the Black Sea, the proposal includes catch limits and quotas for sprat and turbot. The Commission proposes to maintain the 2024 catch limit for sprat. For turbot, the levels of total allowable catches (TAC) and quotas will be set at the 2024 GFCM annual session.
