Life below water

The Atlantic maritime strategy was adopted in 2011 to support the sustainable development of blue economy in the EU Member States bordering the Atlantic. In 2013, the European Commission put forward an Atlantic action plan to implement the strategy.

To give a new boost to a sustainable maritime economy that can create jobs, the European Commission proposes to update the priorities for regional cooperation, following stakeholders’ consultation. The update is also a fresh contribution to Europe’s recovery from the unprecedented socio-economic crisis triggered by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The objective of this proposal is to transpose into EU law the Conservation and Enforcement Measures (ERMs) adopted by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO).

Key points

• The outbreak of COVID-19 is having a significant negative impact on the EU fisheries and aquaculture sector. The EESC therefore welcomes the European Commission's proposal, which it considers very necessary, and asks the European institutions to adopt it without delay.
• However, the Committee believes that certain additional measures should be adopted, either in this legislative proposal or in other complementary ones.

At its 21^st special meeting on 12-19 November 2018, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) adopted its Recommendation 18-02 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, which must be implemented into Union law as soon as possible.

The fleet segments with the highest dependency on Eastern Baltic cod encompass more than 300 vessels in Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. The closure will have a strong negative impact in certain regions and coastal communities.