Make Fishing Fair is an initiative driven by small-scale fishers across Europe. Spearheaded by LIFE, the Low Impact Fishers of Europe and supported by several civil society organisations engaged in nature regeneration and protection and advancing social justice, the initiative convened a consultation with 45 fishers from 17 European countries on 17 November 2025 in Brussels.

Awaiting the arrival of EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis

In preparation of the event, the fishers had developed a roadmap to achieve fair fisheries and support small-scale fishers (SSF) disadvantaged almost everywhere. The dire situation of the resources in European waters with catches down to 3.3 million tons in 2023, less than half of what they were a decade earlier according to EuroStat, has been brought about by a financial and policy focus on capital- and energy-intensive industrial fishing. Hardly any fishing quota were allocated in EU member states to low impact small-scale fishers. Therefore their landings accounted for less than 10% of the total, but create at least 50% of the jobs and 15% of the value. As Mundus maris and others pointed out repeatedly over the years: no fish means no fishers. Unsurprisingly, the numbers of small-scale fishers are shrinking with retirees barely replaced by young men and women. Yet, we all know that the future of fishing is selective, low energy passive gear that uses ecological knowledge of fish behaviour to harvest only as many adult fish as can regrow within a year, after allowing fish and entire ecosystems to regenerate themselves to former productivity.

The fishers’ Call to Action therefore demanded that the European institutions establish a Plan for Small-Scale Fishing in Europe by 2027. The plan must incorporate the principles of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries as adopted by FAO’s Committee of Fisheries in 2014.

EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis

The top measures of the plan endorsed by the European institutions and the EU member states should entail the following:

• Restore fish stocks using better science and traditional knowledge to rebuild ecosystem health
• Protect SSF from competing impactful blue economy sectors by securing preferential access within the territorial waters, extending out to the six mile and 12 mile zone where appropriate
• Apply adaptive co-management systems in all coastal areas
• Ensure fair allocation of fishing opportunities  based on social, economic, and environmental criteria
• Foster generational renewal by removing barriers and providing incentives, offering training, mentorship and decent livelihoods for young fishers
• Build resilient communities able to adapt to climate change
• Guarantee fair access to sectoral support and markets
• Promote gender equity by recognising women’s contributions and ensuring equal participation and opportunities.

Jeremy Percy, Moderator, and Commissioner Costas Kadis

Commissioner Kadis acknowledged the many challenges including sea level rise, pressure on resources and more, especially after hearing the evidence of hardships explained by 16 year-old Muireann Kavanagh from Ireland and the plight of the line fishers in Britanny as described by Gwen Pennarun.

He cautioned there was no magic solution, but suggested, if properly applied the existing legislation could work. He expressed his concern about the alarming situation of the Baltic following the Council decision that did not follow the Commission proposals. He pleaded that consensus needed to be achieved for regenerate the Baltic as a matter of priority.

He also acknowledged that 82% of the fleet in the Mediterranean was small-scale and the more than 100,000 jobs needed to be safeguarded. The just published Vademecum of the Commission on quota allocations by national governments was a way to keep all parties engaged. The forthcoming dialogue meeting should identify favourable conditions for the EU’s small-scale fleet of more than 40,000 vessels shorter than 12 m. A call for evidence was going to be published shortly to prepare the Ocean Act in 2026. That was an opportunity not to be missed.

Several experience accounts from across the EU showed the diversity of contexts and the creativity of efforts to find locally adapted solutions, revive and modernise the best of traditions if only such efforts were not destroyed by political hurdles and starved of financial support where necessary.

The panel of political and NGO representatives responded to a battery of questions from moderator Jeremy Percy that made it painfully  clear that good proposals and initiatives had frequently run up against obstacles. It was almost beyond comprehension why technically, economically and socially advantageous initiatives had not been supported. As Bellinda Bartolucci, Senior Legal Adviser with ClientEarth, pointed out, it was disappointing that the Commission, as guardian of the Treaties, had not filed a single infringement process against member states failing to enforce existing law over extended periods, not only the Common Fisheries Policy, but also the Marine Strategy Framework Directive and the Habitat Directive.

The rich conversations about the wide range of national and local experiences of small-scale fishers, the political and institutional processes and interaction with wider population groups showed foremost one thing: despite all the specificities of language, cultures, legal frameworks, and economics, fishers and their support organisations noticed the common ground and shared patterns. This is an excellent stepping stone towards finally applying the provisions of the Common Fisheries Policy and give priority to social, environmental and economic criteria in all decision making processes and develop co-management practice in regenerating the resource base and its responsible use.

Mundus maris has supported small-scale and low impact fisheries since its beginning in 2010. In 2018, after years of individual action, together with men and women in artisanal fisheries from across Senegal, Mundus maris launched the Small-Scale Fisheries Academy in order to address their legitimate demands for fairness, respect and secure livelihoods. The inclusive dialogue based approaches of the SSF Academy lend operational support for the implementation of the Voluntary SSF Guidelines. Everybody is welcome to contribute their knowledge and experience from across SSF value chains and all other professions who are invited to joint learning and cooperation for celebrating local culture, healthy life in the ocean and responsible stewardship.

Learn more about the more than 30 small-scale fisher organisations across Europe who campaign for their future and healthy and prosperous coastal communities protecting the ocean and exercising stewardship. They are part of the global movement of small-scale fishers who must be central for ocean governance and food security. They forcefully claimed their place at the table during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, June 2025. The movement is becoming more articulate across all continents and deserves all possible support.

Text and pictures by Cornelia E Nauen.