The Chair of the EU Social Dialogue Committee for Sea Fisheries, Cor Blonk, addressed the challenges and opportunities facing the sector during the “Fishers of the Future” conference in Brussels. He highlighted the fishing industry’s vulnerable position, facing a combination of economic, environmental and regulatory challenges.
Blonk said rising operational costs and the influx of cheap imports from non-sustainable sources are undermining the market, while overregulation and excessive bureaucracy deter younger generations from pursuing the sector. Additionally, safety remains a critical issue, exacerbated by inconsistent training standards across Member States, further jeopardizing the well-being of fishers.
“The future of fishers starts today,” Blonk said. “While the industry has made strides in environmental sustainability, such as reducing by 52% its GHG emissions, the focus must expand to include profitability and the welfare of fishers themselves. Sustainability is not only about the planet and profit but also about people.” He added, “Fishers should be recognized as key actors in securing healthy and nutritious food. They perform an essential role that benefits us all, and their work deserves to be appreciated and valued for the vital contribution they make to our society”.
The new Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Kostas Kadis, opened the event reminding that fisheries are integral to the socio-economic fabric of coastal communities, providing healthy food to European citizens. Despite their significance, fishers face numerous challenges, including labor shortages, an aging workforce and a gender gap. These issues demand open communication between policy-makers and fishers, alongside policies that ensure competitiveness, resilience and sustainability. To address these concerns, the commissioner emphasized the need to focus on building a resilient, adaptable future for the fishing sector, grounded in a clear understanding of its past, present and future trends.
The panel tackled the challenges of modernizing fleets with safer, more efficient and greener technologies in the face of restrictive EU regulations that hinder fleet renewal. For example, outdated capacity definitions prevent the utilization of additional space needed to install new technologies or expand accommodation and comfort for diverse crews.
“We need to act at multiple levels,” Blonk said. “From fishing capacity to social conditions, everything must align to create equal opportunities for our fishers in a competitive global market.”
