European Parliament backs Bajada’s push for fairer fisheries rules

The European Parliament has strongly backed PL MEP Thomas Bajada’s calls for stronger and fairer enforcement of international fisheries rules.

MEPs approved legislation led by Bajada aimed at strengthening the implementation of internationally agreed fisheries rules, protecting marine ecosystems, and ensuring a fairer level playing field between European fishers and vessels from third countries.

The agreement was approved with 559 votes in favour, 48 against, and 62 abstentions. It will now be formally signed by the Council and Parliament before entering into force.

The legislation incorporates into EU law conservation and control measures agreed between 2018 and 2024 by six Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), which play a central role in managing shared fish stocks and establishing conservation and control measures for vessels operating beyond national waters.

During negotiations, Bajada also made simplification a priority, insisting that European fishers must be able to clearly understand what is expected of them.

“Fishers should not need a lawyer beside them to understand their obligations. Rules have to be clear, practical and enforceable. But Europe cannot simply appear when it is time to impose a sanction on fishers. It must also be there, present in the middle of the sea, to defend those who respect the rules,” he said.

Bajada stressed that European fishers should not be expected to comply with increasingly demanding conservation obligations while vessels from third countries are allowed to operate without equivalent scrutiny.

Speaking before the vote, he also called for stronger surveillance at sea, including investment in modern monitoring technology and the permanent use of drones for fisheries control.

This, he said, would help ensure that vessels, including those from third countries, can be caught engaging in illegal fishing before they are able to escape.

Bajada also called on the European Commission to take stronger action against vessels which persistently fail to respect the rules.

“A rule that exists only on paper does not protect the fisher who is alone at sea. Europe’s protection has to be visible. It has to be felt. And it has to mean that when somebody breaks the rules, Europe is capable of acting,” he said.

Bajada said the vote represented both an environmental responsibility and a commitment to fairness towards the fishing community.

“Our fishers want a Europe that makes its presence felt at sea – by standing shoulder to shoulder with them. We are not here merely to impose laws and fines on them. We are here to ensure that our fishers are not left to face unfair competition alone,” he concluded.