On General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2025 - all sections

The Committee on Fisheries calls on the Committee on Budgets, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following into its motion for a resolution:

1.Reminds the strategic role of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the economic, social, and environmental importance of fisheries, aquaculture, and maritime affairs, in ensuring food security, resilient marine ecosystems, and also sustainable and equitable blue economy; highlights the importance of fishing products in healthy diets, that are rich in protein, and among the most sustainable protein sources, with low in carbon footprint;

2.Recalls that fisheries and aquaculture sectors play a crucial role in supporting the economic and social fabric of EU coastal communities and that European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) is a fundamental funding programme for the cohesion of coastal communities also for the future post 2027 MFF;

3.Welcomes the adoption of the European Ocean Pact recalling the importance played by thriving fisheries and aquaculture sectors in the well-being of coastal economies and healthy oceans;

4.Expresses its concerns for the continuing ongoing consequences of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine which severely impact the fisheries sector; underlines the impacts of trade disruptions, increased price volatility, energy cost surges, drifting sea mines in the Black Sea, and ecological damage such as habitat destruction and pollution; recalls that these disruptions have affected fishing operations, particularly in the Black Sea, threatening fishers’ livelihoods and requiring sustained use of EMFAF crisis measures;

5.Emphasises the importance of scientific data, including social and economic marine related data, to strengthen sustainable resource ecosystem-based fisheries management and calls for enhanced support for Member States and scientific institutions in collection, monitoring and analysis of data; highlights that development and investment in innovative selective fishing technologies is critical to achieve a true and effective ecosystem-based fisheries management;

6.Points out the importance to provide financial support for the definition and implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), in line with EU international commitments to protect 30 % of our ocean by 2030, especially for the transition and the support of the incomes of the affected fishers, as well as monitoring and management programmes by local and regional authorities;

7.Stresses the importance to give special and particular support for the small-scale and artisanal fishing fleet; reaffirms that improving safety, working conditions, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability - including vessel renewal where appropriate, with an adequate fishing effort - should encourage generational renewal of the sector; stresses the importance of ensure that small-scale fleets have sufficient financial support in situations of permanent and temporary cessation in order to implement adjustments to fishing capacity or reduction of fishing opportunities;

8.Stresses that climate change and the increased presence of new alien predatory species, has negative consequences on marine ecosystems and the fishing sector, which requires financial support also considering new own resources such as EU Emissions Trading System (ETS);

9.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to improve sustainable EU aquaculture production addressing the bottlenecks and constraints identified, as well as to reduce the dependence of imports of aquaculture products from third countries; stresses that with an appropriately use of EMFAF funds it is possible to diversify and increase the EU aquaculture production and other fisheries supplementary activities such as pescatourism to support gender equality and generational renewal;

10.Reiterates its call for adequate funding to support the implementation of the new Fisheries Control Regulation and the increased responsibilities of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA);

11.Supports the reinforcement of the international dimension of the CFP with adequate resources for ocean governance and international cooperation, including stakeholder engagement in third countries; emphasises the importance to continue strong actions against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by the example and work for achieving global sustainable fisheries, compliance by third countries of shared rules, and level playing field, particularly through a sea-basin approach;

12.Calls for the needed target funding for improvement of research, development and deployment of low-emission propulsion systems adapted to the different fleet segments and various gear types to reduce emissions and dependency on fossil fuels, including the necessary infrastructure adaptations in EU ports;

13.Stresses that adequately funded training, in particular of young fishers, and a skilled, diverse workforce are key for achieving generational renewal, including gender equality;

14.Reiterates the need of a dedicated financial support to coastal communities and outermost regions; urges the Commission to promote fleet renewal, in particular in the outermost regions, in line with provisions foreseen in the EU Treaties; reiterates the need to properly fund and compensate for additional costs for fishery and aquaculture products in outermost regions and peripheral areas;

15.Calls for measures that eliminate administrative and financial barriers faced by small-scale fisheries Producer Organisations, ensuring equitable recognition, support, and eligibility across Member States.