EU court ruling: overfishing laws clarified, but incomplete
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has ruled on a case concerning overfishing in Europe, clarifying that EU ministers would be breaking the law if they approve overfishing of ‘target stocks’.
This ruling followed a challenge by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) with support from ClientEarth, after the EU missed its 2020 legal deadline to end overfishing. However, the CJEU’s ruling only applies to target stocks (higher value seafood that fishers intend to catch) and falls short of including bycatch stocks, which are caught unintentionally. The CJEU’s decision contrasts with the opinion of the Advocate General, who supported including all fish stocks in the overfishing deadline.
There is a clear commitment within the EU to keep fishing to sustainable levels, yet every year, fisheries ministers have ignored expert warnings, setting excessive fishing quotas beyond scientific advice. The longer they do this, the more stocks will end up classed as vulnerable, endangered or worse. While this ruling provides clarity on overfishing for certain stocks, there remains concern over the treatment of bycatch stocks.
As a committed supporter of environmental sustainability and marine conservation efforts, we recognise the importance of ensuring that fishing practices are in line with long-term sustainability goals. We will continue to support ClientEarth in its efforts to protect marine life by ensuring laws protecting fish stocks in the EU are implemented properly.
