The European Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevicius, announced a package of four measures a month ago. The plan proposes a ban on bottom trawling in marine protected areas and sets an ambitious target to decarbonize the fleet, aiming for 30% of each Member State’s waters to be protected by 2030. Since then, Spain has openly resisted and sought allies within its EU partners to take a clear stand against the plan. France was quick to align with Spain, and on Monday Fisheries Ministers from both countries led a united front against the Brussels proposal in Brussels. In total, ten Member States rejected the plan during the Cabinet session, warning of the potential economic impact on the sector. Minister Luis Planas called the proposal “out of focus and unbalanced.”
Among the four initiatives that form the Action Plan to protect and restore marine ecosystems, the call to gradually end bottom fishing in all protected areas drew the most attention due to its direct impact on fleets like the big sun. Planas opened the public discussion by asking what the future holds for the European fisheries sector and urged a balance among environmental, economic, and social pillars. He emphasized that simply removing trawling from all marine protected areas would not suffice and urged a rigorous timetable with solid scientific, economic, and social impact assessments. He added that the plan should incorporate thorough consideration of all voices and regional realities. Sinkevicius, who received the ministers’ input, noted that measures would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by a dedicated scientific committee and urged member states to assess their waters and engage with relevant stakeholders. Finding a balance, he argued, is essential because disrupting ecosystems could jeopardize the industry’s survival.
France took the floor with a direct warning: the proposal would condemn artisanal fisheries across France and Europe now, not in some distant future. France argued that the target was not proportional and that it lacked a detailed impact assessment. Ministers pointed out that there is no fair distinction between different fishing techniques and that the plan fails to address issues individually. Several other member states, including Germany, Portugal, Denmark, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy, and Cyprus, shared concerns about the plan’s practicality and possible consequences. — The debate underscored broad reservations about whether the proposed timeline and measures align with sustainability goals while preserving coastal livelihoods. (Source: Internal briefing on the ministers’ exchange, attributed to the European Commission and national ministries.)
Sinkevicius
Fisheries Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius summarized the session by saying the ministers’ contributions were “well graded,” but reiterated that member states must propose concrete measures. He stressed that the scientific committee would review proposals on their individual merits and that the process would involve careful case-by-case evaluation. He urged member states to assess their own waters and engage with local actors, acknowledging that the discussion would be challenging and that ecosystem disruption could threaten the industry’s viability, but insisted that balance must be found. (Statement from the Commissioner, attributed to the European Commission press briefing.)
France began taking steps to close fishing in its waters to protect dolphins. The country plans measures to safeguard dolphins from accidental bycatch in Atlantic waters, notably in the Bay of Biscay, to be implemented within six months following a State Council decision. This aligns with ICES recommendations, although the international body had suggested a shorter four-month window in its earlier assessment. The Council of State confirmed the need for a reliable estimate of the annual accidental bycatch numbers and endorsed the additional use of acoustic deterrent devices on fishing vessels, including those from Spain. It warned that counting only deterrents would not suffice. (Source: Council of State ruling; attribution to national authorities and ICES.)
The move stems from a joint appeal by three environmental NGOs—Defense of Aquatic Environments, France Nature Environnement, and Sea Shepherd—who have condemned the rising dolphin deaths, a trend that has worsened in recent weeks. The Council of State warned that the dolphin and other large cetacean species face a significant extinction risk at least regionally, and that bycatch numbers have exceeded thresholds that would allow a favorable conservation status under current estimates. (Attribution: NGOs’ petition; Council of State findings.)
Responding to a request by DG Mare, ICES issued a report recommending temporary closures, particularly for trawling, after examining several scenarios. ICES suggested maintaining a one-month shutdown in the first quarter and a summer shutdown with pinger use, but France chose to extend protections further. The French stance reflects a precautionary approach intended to reduce incidental dolphin mortality while watching for broader ecological and economic consequences. (Source: ICES assessment and national responses.)