Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-001621/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Nicolás González Casares (S&D)
A recent report published by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) paints a clear picture of the socio-economic impact of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 which, by closing 87 areas to bottom fishing, has reduced fishing days and fish landings by 16 % and 20 % respectively for Spanish fleets while also causing their turnover to drop by 11 %.
The report indicates that, in 2022, Spanish fleets (including 67 longliners) had fished in 60 of the areas that were later closed by Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614. Just over half of the longliners involved (52.9 %) operate out of Burela and Celeiro, accounting for 94.7 % and 90 % of these two ports’ respective fleets. In addition, 45.8 % of all Spanish gill net (GNS) vessels that used to fish in these areas are based in Cedeira and Celeiro, while the bottom fishing ban could also have repercussions for 90 % of the port of Ribeira’s trawl (OTB) fleet.
According to the STECF, this state of affairs could lead to a loss of fishing areas, an uptick in operational costs and the displacement of fishing fleets while also having a detrimental impact on ports in the vicinity.
- 1.Given the colossal impact that Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1614 has had, will the Commission scrap or amend it?
- 2.How will the Commission implement STECF’s recommendation that ‘all long-term measures should protect both vulnerable ecosystems as well as the communities engaged in sustainable fishing in those waters’?
- 3.Will the Commission pledge to delay adopting decisions until it has analysed their socio-economic impact?
Submitted: 23.4.2025