The European Commission has opened a four-week call for evidence on the EU’s fisheries Multiannual Management Plans, asking for feedback across all sea basins via its Have Your Say portal.
EU countries, the fishing sector, scientific institutions, non-governmental organisations, regional authorities and coastal communities have been invited to submit views, as well as scientific, ecosystem and economic data, the Commission said.
The plans are the EU’s main tool for managing its most significant fish stocks, but some provisions have proved difficult to apply, according to the Commission.
In the Western Mediterranean, the Commission is seeking input on how the “most vulnerable stock” approach affects the setting of fishing opportunities and on options for a more balanced approach to mixed fisheries. Mixed fisheries are those where several species are caught together in the same nets, so limits for one species can affect catches of others, the Commission explained.
Why the Commission says rules need review
The definition of the “most vulnerable stock” can make it difficult to manage mixed fisheries in a balanced way, because a single species with the lowest population in a shared area can determine fishing limits for other species, the Commission said.
For the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the Western Waters, the Commission is asking for evidence on the “5% rule” and on ways to set rebuilding trajectories for fishers who depend on stocks in poor condition, including approaches that could reduce sharp year-on-year fluctuations in fishing opportunities.
The “5% rule” is a legal requirement that annual fishing quotas be set so there is less than a 5% chance of a fish population falling below its safe biological limit, and it can lead to abrupt cuts and legal uncertainty when combined with other measures, according to the Commission.
The Commission said it wants to make the plans easier to implement and improve legal clarity, while keeping the key milestones of the common fisheries policy, including the goal of reaching and maintaining maximum sustainable yield exploitation rates.
Calls to amend the plans have also come from stakeholders, including a joint statement from 15 EU countries at the AGRIFISH Council in December 2025, as well as requests from Advisory Councils, the Commission said.
