In 2022, long-haul fishing fleets faced heavy financial pressure as energy costs rose, with 87% of these vessels not turning a profit. By contrast, 40% of onshore fleets and 66% of offshore fleets managed to stay financially afloat. Support from Member States helped cushion the downturn in fishing activity, which likely would have worsened amid conflict and a heavily inflationary environment. This situation spotlighted Europe’s dependence on energy imports and underscored the need for a strategic pivot. In response, the European Commission introduced the Twenty-seventh strategy for the energy transition of the fishing and aquaculture sector on February 21, prompted by a request from the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The draft framework prepared by FARO on the same day calls for Brussels to push several priorities forward. It emphasizes developing biofuels and argues for priority access to advanced biodiesel, all while committing to achieving a neutral carbon footprint by 2050. A renewal plan for the fleet is also described as essential to modernize the sector and sustain fishing activity through ecological improvements and technological upgrades.
The idea that 21st century vessels are needed to fish effectively in the modern era has been echoed by Luis Planas, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and sits at the core of the working paper presented at the first meeting of the European Union working group last week, coordinated by the European Economic and Social Committee. The proposal advocates for alternative propulsion systems and more usable space on board, arguing that the green future of the seas depends on constructing larger, more capable ships.
Facing a fleet more than thirty years old with limited funds for investment, the industry has called for a dedicated fund to modernize and renew vessels. This effort would be overseen by Community authorities as part of maritime policy discussions underway in the coming weeks. Horizon Europe is noted for not having a specific call for fishing, and strict financial limits under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) constrain subsidies, often tied to vessel size and other criteria. The debate stresses reforming how capacity is measured and defined in the Common Fisheries Policy to support modernization and safety upgrades while aligning with social standards.
The industry points out that capacity measurements currently count spaces such as galleys, cabins, toilets, and crew rest areas as fishing capacity. This is viewed as inconsistent with social requirements, including those described in ILO Convention C188 on work in fisheries. The energy transition strategy is urged to include a thoughtful review of capacity rules to permit the introduction of new technologies and to promote fleet modernization.
The working paper explores possible new measures that could redefine capacity, including approaches used in Nordic countries like Norway or Iceland. It considers excluding workers’ rest spaces from capacity calculations and basing rules on quotas and ship size. The goal is to support livability improvements for crew, which could attract younger workers, address gender gaps, and facilitate broader participation for women in the sector.
Setting 1990 as the reference year for emissions reductions
One proposal under consideration is to designate 1990 as the reference year for measuring emissions reductions in the fishing sector, instead of 2005 or 2008. The draft opinion argues that the European fleet is on track toward climate neutrality and suggests applying 1990 as the baseline for CO2 emissions within the fishing industry. The broader argument notes that greenhouse gas emissions from shipping have risen globally, while emissions from community fishing fleets have declined due to greater energy efficiency and smaller fleet sizes. It also notes that despite EU enlargement, the number of member state ships has fallen by about 30 percent over the past 25 years. In 1996 there were 103,834 ships; by 2020 the total stood at 73,716, with roughly 30,000 fewer ships and about 56,111 remaining active year-round, a trend that aligns with the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.