How to better use EU citizens’ money in fisheries beyond 2020

The report evaluates the use of EMFF funds in three EU Member States, identifying a tension between subsidies that support conservation and those that enhance fishing capacity or artificially maintain profitability. It argues that the future EMFF should prioritise small-scale fishers, invest in safety training and marine restoration, and strictly prohibit capacity-enhancing investments to meet international sustainability goals.

• A significant majority of EU fisheries funding is directed toward large-scale operations rather than small-scale fishers who face greater challenges in accessing quotas.
• The report identifies a lack of strategic investment in the landing obligation, particularly in France, where port authorities failed to adapt facilities and the target for reducing unwanted catches was only 2% met by 2018.
• Subsidies for the acquisition of first fishing vessels for young fishers are criticized as capacity-enhancing measures that contradict international sustainability goals and create a culture of dependency.
• There is an inconsistent application of the conditionality clause across Member States, which is intended to ensure only compliant operators receive aid; for example, Ireland considered all applications admissible due to national system deficiencies.
• The report highlights a disconnect between funding priorities and the economic reality of the sector, noting that profitability has increased while funds continue to be spent on permanent cessation and on-board investments.
• While data collection and fisheries control funds were utilized quickly, the report recommends increasing these budgets to ensure reliable scientific advice and effective enforcement of the CFP.

APA

Tacconi, F. (2020). How to better use EU citizens’ money in fisheries beyond 2020. ClientEarth. https://www.clientearth.org/media/yc4b0lfw/how-to-better-use-eu-citizens-money-in-fisheries-beyond-2020-ce-en1.pdf

Chicago

Tacconi, Flaminia. How to better use EU citizens’ money in fisheries beyond 2020. ClientEarth, 2020. https://www.clientearth.org/media/yc4b0lfw/how-to-better-use-eu-citizens-money-in-fisheries-beyond-2020-ce-en1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tacconi |first1=Flaminia |title=How to better use EU citizens’ money in fisheries beyond 2020 |publisher=ClientEarth |date=February 2020 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/yc4b0lfw/how-to-better-use-eu-citizens-money-in-fisheries-beyond-2020-ce-en1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tacconi2020how, author = {Tacconi, Flaminia}, title = {{How to better use EU citizens’ money in fisheries beyond 2020}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/yc4b0lfw/how-to-better-use-eu-citizens-money-in-fisheries-beyond-2020-ce-en1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }