Today Commissioner Costas Kadis is hosting an implementation dialogue dedicated to small-scale and coastal fisheries (SSCF).
Small-scale and coastal fisheries are the backbone of Europe’s coastal communities, sustaining local economies, preserving cultural heritage, and upholding sustainable fishing traditions.
However, they face mounting challenges: competition for maritime space, access to fishing opportunities, climate change, soaring operational costs, invasive species, and fluctuating market demands. These pressures have positioned SSCF as one of the most vulnerable sectors within the EU fishing fleet, threatening both livelihoods and coastal resilience.
To address some of these challenges, the European Commission has recently published guidelines seeking to help Member States in supporting small-scale fishers.
In line with the goal of supporting SSCF, Commissioner Kadis is meeting today in Brussels, fishers, Fisheries Local Actions Groups (FLAGs), Advisory Councils, NGOs, Member State representatives, industry, and social partners. They will discuss the practical implementation of key EU Fishing related policies with a view to bolster the sustainability, resilience, and long-term viability of SSCF across European sea basins.
The dialogue will also explore the role and potential of new technologies in strengthening the sustainability and competitiveness of small-scale and coastal fisheries as well as good practices and opportunities for income diversification.
Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, said:
“Small-scale fishers are at the heart of our coastal communities. Today’s dialogue is an opportunity to listen to their realities and to work together on practical solutions that strengthen their resilience and ensure a sustainable future for this essential part of our maritime fabric.”
Implementation Dialogues are part of the Commission’s commitment to seek feedback from stakeholders for the implementation and simplification of EU policies. As outlined in the Commission’s Communication on implementation and simplification for the 2024-2029 mandate, all Members of the College of Commissioners must host such Dialogues annually. This is the second of such dialogues for Commissioner Kadis this year, following one on maritime spatial planning, held in July this year.
The conclusions of the dialogue will be available online.
More information
Photos from the implementation dialogue on small-scale and coastal fisheries