EU court upholds bottom fishing ban, sparking industry backlash
The General Court of the European Union has dismissed a legal challenge brought by the Kingdom of Spain and several fishing organisations against a European Commission regulation that bans bottom fishing in areas identified as potentially containing vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs).
The ruling, issued on June 13, supports the commission’s method for designating and regulating protected areas.
According to the court, the commission was not required to assess the sensitivity of VMEs based on the type of fishing gear used, such as passive bottom gear including demersal longlines, nor was it obliged to evaluate the socio-economic impacts of the conservation measures on affected fisheries.
The decision has drawn criticism from the European Bottom Fishing Alliance (EBFA), which was among the organisations supporting the legal challenge.
In a statement, EBFA Chair Iván López said the closures had significantly affected longline fisheries, citing the case of Burela’s longline fleet, where catch volumes fell by over 30 per cent within 50 days of the closures taking effect.
He added, “The EU is a remarkable construct that has brought significant progress in fisheries management. However, it is also a system that offers limited legal avenues to challenge rules which, although legitimate, are perceived as erroneous and disproportionate.”
The EBFA reiterated its opposition to the commission’s regulatory approach, arguing that the affected fishing sector was excluded from developing the conservation strategy. The group claimed that this had caused unnecessary harm, particularly to longline fleets.
López also stated, “If the commission finds itself constrained to adopt flawed solutions due to the literal interpretation of existing laws, then it must take steps to amend those laws in order to prevent further injustice.”
The EBFA has called on the new Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs to review the outcome and revise the deep-sea access regulation to balance marine protection goals with the sustainability of fishing communities.
