On the fisheries management approaches for safeguarding sensitive species, tackling invasive species and benefiting local economies

(2025/2011(INI))

The European Parliament,

–having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 43 thereof,

–having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the common fisheries policy (CFP),

–having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the common fisheries policy,

–having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species (the IAS Regulation),

–having regard to the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments,

–having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

–having regard to the report of the Committee on Fisheries (A10-0000/2025),

A.whereas the EU has long recognised the importance of sustainable fisheries and fisheries management approaches in preserving marine biodiversity, protecting sensitive species, supporting local economies and ensuring food security;

B.whereas invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the drivers of biodiversity loss, have negative impacts on fisheries and aquaculture, and ecosystem functions, and can be detrimental to human health and biosecurity;

C.whereas the EU has adopted several measures to map and counteract the spread of IAS, notably the IAS Regulation, establishing a list of species of Union concern and enforcing control measures;

D.whereas the European Alien Species Information Network (EASIN) currently monitors 12 423 alien species across various environments, of which 1 440 (11.6 %) are marine species; whereas, as of 2019, 53 % of Europe’s sea coastlines are under pressure from IAS, with significant regional variation – 33 % in the Baltic Sea, 100 % in the Black Sea, 98 % in the Mediterranean Sea and 25 % in the North-east Atlantic Ocean;

E.whereas climate change, especially ocean warming, and the increased movement of goods and people are key vectors for the introduction of IAS and can intensify their impact on sensitive species, ecosystems and, consequently, fishing activities;

F.whereas tackling IAS also requires strong international action; whereas the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recognises IAS as a cross-cutting issue, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) aims to reduce the introduction and establishment of IAS by at least 50 % by 2030;

Sensitive species: ocean resilience indicators

1.Highlights the unique role played by sensitive species as indicators of the status of marine ecosystems, and the environmental, economic and social benefits stemming from their protection and conservation;

2.Urges the Commission and the Member States to promote fisheries management approaches that prioritise the conservation of sensitive species, including by duly implementing the EU’s goals regarding marine protected areas and reinforcing the protection of critical habitats;

3.Calls on the Commission and the Member States to make full use of CFP tools, in particular technical measures to address fisheries interactions and enhance the protection of sensitive species;

4.Recalls the importance of data collected under the CFP in properly identifying the impact of fisheries on sensitive species;

5.Highlights the importance of reinforcing the protection and recovery of sensitive species in all pertinent legal proposals, extending beyond those directly related to the CFP;

Invasive species: threats to our ocean and economy

6.Underlines that IAS threaten fisheries and aquaculture, native marine biodiversity and ecosystems, thus affecting the income of fishers and coastal communities;

7.Recalls that in the EU, 88 IAS are strictly regulated, including 47 animal species and 41 plant species of Union concern;

8.Regrets the fact that the current list of species of Union concern does not fully acknowledge the threat of IAS to EU fisheries, aquaculture and the marine environment – currently only two marine species (Plotosus lineatus and Rugulopteryx okamurae) are included on the list; calls for its improvement based on up-to-date scientific advice and risk assessments;

9.Regrets the lack of specific monitoring programmes for marine IAS, and calls for improved monitoring methods and the harmonisation of indicators across the EU and for increased technical and financial support;

10.Recommends establishing a threshold-setting methodology and values for all European marine regions and subregions, taking into consideration the impact on fisheries, the manageability of pathways and the need to enforce the Ballast Water Management Convention and apply hull fouling guidelines;

11.Highlights the potential links between IAS introduced in land and freshwater ecosystems and those in oceans and seas, and their impact on fisheries and aquaculture; calls on the Commission to develop a comprehensive strategy to address this issue;

12.Stresses that a holistic, preventive and multi-vector pathway-based management approach is an absolute priority in effectively tackling marine alien species; encourages the Member States to increase the use of horizon scanning and novel techniques such as eDNA, artificial intelligence and automated monitoring, as well as fishers, coastal communities and citizen science as tools for prioritising new, emerging and high-risk IAS for fisheries and aquaculture;

13.Calls on the Member States to strengthen communication, coordination and cooperation in order to implement rapid-response measures for the early detection and rapid eradication of marine IAS, as well as to manage species that are already widely spread;

14.Underlines that the Mediterranean Sea, in particular, is a hotspot, harbouring more IAS than any other sea globally, with significant impacts on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, thus requiring particular attention;

15.Highlights the importance of the EASIN Notification System, particularly for the timely and comprehensive reporting of new detections, eradication measures and official control detections; urges the Member States to enhance the system by providing additional information, particularly distribution data, notably with the contribution of information from fishers;

16.Recalls the international dimension of IAS and suggests that the EU reinforce its actions in this regard via regional fisheries management organisations, in the context of the CBD and the GBF, and calls for the EU to enhance collaborative knowledge sharing and mutual learning exchanges with other countries;

Opportunities and challenges for coastal communities

17.Stresses that IAS have significant negative impacts on fisheries, aquaculture, coastal communities and other economic activities; finds it crucial to consider their broader social, economic and cultural consequences, beyond biodiversity loss and the effects on ecosystems, in order to effectively prevent new invasions and implement successful mitigation measures;

18.Calls for the development of awareness-raising campaigns to inform and engage fishers, fishing-sector stakeholders and the general public about the introduction, detection and impacts of IAS;

19.Calls for financial support to protect marine ecosystems and conserve sensitive species, as well as for information, monitoring and early warning systems for IAS at regional, national and EU level, considering the positive impact on both fisheries and biodiversity conservation;

20.Reminds the Commission that the outermost regions serve as important safe harbours for sensitive marine species, while also being highly vulnerable to IAS; calls for recognition of the importance of protecting these sensitive species and combating IAS in these regions, and highlights the potential of sustainable eco-tourism as a means of protecting marine ecosystems, while delivering direct benefits to the fisheries and aquaculture sectors;

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21.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.