Management of fishing capacity serves the aim of a stable and enduring balance between the fishing capacity of the fleets and the fishing opportunities over time.
EU countries are obliged to report annually on this balance, using the guidelines prepared by the European Commission. For fleet segments with overcapacity the member state has to take measures under an action plan, to achieve the balance, for instance through publicly funded decommissioning of vessels. When a Member State fails to report or does not implement the action plan, this may lead to proportionate suspension or interruption of the relevant EU funding.
For each EU country a fishing fleet capacity ceiling is established, in kilowatts (kW) and gross tonnage (GT). New fishing vessels may enter the fleet only after the same fleet capacity (in kW and GT) is removed from the fleet. Through this ‘entry-exit’ system Europe’s fleet capacity can no longer increase.
The Commission maintains an EU fleet register with the necessary vessel information, which it receives periodically from the Member States. A first release of the new application for the fleet register (FLEET) is available.
EU Fleet register
Fleet capacity reports 2019
Fleet capacity reports 2018
Fleet capacity reports 2017
Fleet capacity reports 2016
STECF website
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Legislation on structural measures, including fleet (EUR-Lex)
Facts on the EU fishing fleet (Atlas)
The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) Administrative Board held its 34th meeting on 14 October. During this meeting, that took place online this time due to the COVID-19 related restrictions, the Administrative Board members elected a new Chair, Ms Veronika Veits and Deputy Chair Ms Melanie Seibert.
The EU's maritime transport industry strives to reduce its impact on the environment with innovative solutions like battery-operated vessels, wind-powered ships and carbon-neutral shipping. The industry sets new environmental goals — but can it deliver?
Yesterday, the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached a provisional agreement on legislation that would allow fishermen and -women affected by the dire condition of certain fish stocks in the Baltic Sea to leave the fishing sector with the financial support from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), received under specific conditions.
