Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

 

15 July 2026   Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

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In this issue Foreword   News   Stories of the month   Map of the month   Events   Have your say   Funding opportunities   Publications and studies

Foreword

Dear readers, As summer begins, we continue to work at the European Commission to prepare the ground for an important autumn ahead. The Commission recently published its first annual social report on fisheries, aquaculture and fish processing, offering valuable food for thought as we look ahead to the upcoming Vision 2040 and the Ocean Act. If you would like to help shape the latter, there is still time to share your views until 16 July. We are also seeking your feedback on how to simplify the EMFAF Regulation. Whether it is on these initiatives, on the European ocean research and innovation strategy, or on the future of sustainable fishing in the EU, one message is clear this summer:  we want to hear from you. Let me also warmly thank Ireland for opening its Presidency of the Council of the European Union with the EU Ocean Act Conference - a timely and important moment for Europe’s ocean agenda. The Ocean Act is where ambition meets implementation: where our shared vision for healthy, resilient and productive seas is translated into concrete action. It is an opportunity to strengthen integrated ocean governance, to show Europe’s leadership by example, to build the partnerships needed across borders and sectors, and to turn global commitments into tangible results on the water. Wishing you an inspiring read and a nice summer, Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries @vitcheva_eu

News

Commissioner Kadis hosts implementation dialogue on EU aquaculture policy Costas Kadis, Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, hosted an implementation dialogue on EU aquaculture policy. The event brought together stakeholders from across the sector – including aquaculture industry and associations, retailers, non-governmental organisations, civil society and Member States to discuss how the European Union can unlock the full potential of sustainable aquaculture.   more     The European Commission welcomes NEAFC measures on mackerel and deplores Russia’s further quota increase in 2026 The mackerel stock in the North-East Atlantic is currently in a critical conservation status after years of overfishing, particularly by the Russian Federation. In 2026, Russia unilaterally raised its quota to 22.5% of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) - equivalent to 67,548 tonnes - almost 5 times the share it held in 2004.   more     Commission publishes first annual social report on fisheries, aquaculture and fish processing The European Commission has published the first annual social report on fisheries, aquaculture and processing sectors, providing an overview of the social aspects of all three sectors.   more     Commission seeks feedback on potential simplification of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund The European Commission is seeking feedback in view of a possible targeted amendment of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF). The objective is to make the fund simpler, more flexible and easier to implement while implementing also in EU law the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.   more     Natura 2000 Network offers opportunities for sustainable tourism across Europe The guidelines help sites integrate tourism and recreational activities while highlighting the growing importance of ecotourism.   more

Stories of the month

Casting his own line: A young fisher’s path to independence in Réunion At just 27, Richard Delmas is charting his own course in the waters off Réunion Island. Born into a fishing family, he grew up at sea. With support from the EU, he launched a small one-person fishing business built on flexibility, low costs and direct sales.   more     From a remote island to shelves around the world: the story of Azorean canned fish The island of Terceira in the Azores sits 1,500 km west of mainland Portugal – remote enough to make running a business complicated, let alone one built around delivering fresh fish to distant markets. Tibério Barbeito started TZT Flying Fish Azores in his twenties with exactly that ambition.   more     NESBp: strengthening maritime spatial planning across the North Sea and Baltic Sea Today, Europe’s northern seas face growing pressure. The energy transition, climate change, biodiversity loss and increasing geopolitical tensions are reshaping how countries plan and manage their maritime space. Offshore wind, fisheries, shipping and nature protection all compete for space at sea,   more     BuyCo and Searoutes: Decarbonising container shipping, one booking at a time A container shipment from Shanghai to Paris can produce anywhere from 7.3 to 10 tonnes of CO₂, depending on the route and vessel chosen. Until recently, however, that difference was largely invisible to the companies making shipping decisions.   more

Map of the month

Discover Europe’s coastline This map shows 33 shoreline types along Europe’s coasts, ranging from rocky cliffs and sand dunes to estuaries and man-made coastal defence. Zoom in to see how coastal erosion affects different shorelines. The map layer was developed through the EU-funded EUROSION project.   more

Events

EU Arctic Forum, Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue and Arctic Youth Dialogue Date 01/09/2026 - 03/09/2026 Venue Brussels, Belgium   more   BlueInvest Africa Date 02/11/2026 - 03/11/2026 Venue Cape Town, South Africa Registration Registration open until 1 November 2026   more

Have your say

European Ocean Act Deadline 16/07/2026   more   European maritime, fisheries and aquaculture fund – amendment for simplification and to transpose the WTO agreement Deadline 21/07/2026   more   A water resilience research and innovation (R&I) strategy Deadline 02/08/2026   more   European ocean research and innovation strategy Deadline 02/08/2026   more   Birds and Habitats Directives – stress test Deadline 04/08/2026   more   Sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2027 Deadline 31/08/2026   more

Funding opportunities

Services to Communities to support the achievement of the objectives of the Mission Ocean and Waters Deadline 14/07/2026   more   OCEAN OBSERVATION PLATFORM - Maintenance, operation and further development of a digital platform for hosting ocean observation campaign plans Deadline 24/07/2026   more   Information system on commercial designations for fishery and aquaculture products Deadline 14/09/2026   more   European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) - Global Data Service Deadline 02/10/2026   more   Call for proposals "Support to awareness raising about the Arctic communities, including Indigenous People" Deadline 20/08/2026   more

Publications and studies

Replacing fish-based feed with algae-based feed in aquaculture   more     Anchored FADs: Relevance of the use and overall impact on juvenile tuna and the environment   more   Partenariat de pêche durable UE-Madagascar   more

This newsletter is published by the European Commission's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Visit our website: Oceans and Fisheries