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The Pew Charitable Trusts

Pew

The Pew Charitable Trusts uses research and advocacy to improve public policy in environmental conservation, fisheries sustainability, and ocean governance.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Milena Mihaylova (Head of Unit Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

28 Jan 2026 · Exchange of views on 2026 priorities for GFCM

Response to An EU strategy for fisheries external action

12 Sept 2025

This response from The Pew Charitable Trusts supplements Pew's earlier submission to the CFP evaluation (Jan-Apr 2025). It sets out how the EU's fisheries external action can better align with environmental and social policies, strengthen shared stock management, enhance the EU's role in RFMOs, improve SFPAs, and intensify efforts against IUU fishing. 1) Alignment of EU fisheries external action with other policies. The CFP and associated policies, including the IUU Regulation and its IUU dialogue and carding scheme, contribute to SDG 14 by promoting sustainable fisheries and marine conservation. They also support global ocean governance under agreements such as the UN Fish Stocks Agreement, the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), WTO Fisheries Subsidies, and BBNJ. However, there is a persistent lack of coherence between the implementation of environmental or social policies (e.g. Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Biodiversity Strategy, the provisions of SFPAs) and the implementation of fisheries policies. This weakens the EU's leadership globally on these issues. It is key to embed ecosystem based fisheries management (EBFM) and climate considerations, as well as spatial protection, in fisheries action to help deliver the GBF goals. Coherence between fisheries decisions and biodiversity commitments is critical. 2) Shared stocks Managing widely distributed stocks requires stable, science based collaboration and EU leadership. The North East Atlantic coastal states failure to agree on shares for mackerel, blue whiting, and Atlanto Scandian herring has driven overexploitation. Pew recommends: Accelerating Management Strategy Evaluations (MSEs) with ICES to update Long Term Management Strategies (LTMS), explicitly testing climate resilience, rebuilding trajectories, predatorprey effects, and consequences of overshooting catch limits. Negotiating allocation schemes that end unilateral quota setting. 3) Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) Given the EU's influence in RFMOs, the EU action should be consistent with the CFP requirements, especially on catch/quota decisions and immediately advocate to end overfishing and rebuild stocks, not just where the EU has direct commercial interests. The EU should more assertively advocate sustainable limits through the following actions: transition to harvest strategies / LTMS via MSE, including for stocks prioritized by other members. Agree allocation schemes based on shared principles. Apply an ecosystem approach with explicit ecological objectives and appropriate conservation and management measures, Mandate IMO numbers; implement Port State Measures; ensure adequate observer coverage; centralize or share VMS data; expand catch documentation schemes; ensure beneficial ownership transparency; adopt high seas boarding and inspection schemes; align transshipment rules with FAO guidelines; and increase transparency and accountability in RFMO decision making and compliance reviews. 4) Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreements (SFPAs) Persistent transparency gaps exist in SFPAs (e.g. incomplete disclosure of partner country fishing agreements). SFPAs are only truly sustainable when EU and external fleets face equal standards, decisions rest on robust science and local stakeholders are meaningfully involved. Pew aligns with findings of the 2025 IUU Coalition report on SFPAs. 5) Fight against IUU fishing Pew supports the EU zero tolerance approach and calls for full implementation of the existing framework IUU Regulation (1005/2008) and External Fleet Regulation (2017/2403) and better use of tools like the FAO Global Record. Priorities include: Bringing unregulated high seas fisheries under effective management and oversight and deepening market State coordination to close traceability loopholes. Please read our full response in the attached document.
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Meeting with Fernando Andresen Guimaraes (Director Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and

5 Sept 2025 · Meeting on the EU’s fisheries external action and policy observations related to a vessel case

Meeting with Eva Maria Carballeira Fernandez (Head of Unit Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

21 May 2025 · Discussion on ToR for mackerel and MSE

Meeting with Milena Mihaylova (Head of Unit Maritime Affairs and Fisheries)

14 Apr 2025 · The Pew Charitable Trusts would like to learn more about DG MARE's GFCM priorities for 2025.

Meeting with Costas Kadis (Commissioner) and

17 Mar 2025 · Presentation and discussion of priorities of Pew

Meeting with Milena Mihaylova (Head of Unit Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and World Resources Institute

17 Feb 2025 · Mediterranean fisheries priorities for 2025 and regional approach to VME protection

Pew Trusts Urge EU to Prioritize Protection Over Blue Growth

13 Feb 2025
Topic — The consultation gathers feedback on a holistic approach to future EU ocean-related policies.
Message — Pew recommends prioritizing the implementation of conservation laws and better integration between environmental and fisheries policies. They also call for a coordination mechanism to improve governance transparency and accountability.12
Why — This strategy protects the long-term economic viability of fisheries by ensuring healthy fish populations.3
Impact — Industrial fishing fleets would lose access to protected areas and face restrictions on bottom trawling.4
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Meeting with Liesbet Sommen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

5 Feb 2025 · Regulation on preventing plastic pellet losses to reduce microplastic pollution

Meeting with César Luena (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

3 Feb 2025 · Pellets Regulation

Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament)

30 Jan 2025 · Microplastics (staff level)

Meeting with Jutta Paulus (Member of the European Parliament)

28 Jan 2025 · Podiumsdiskussion - Plastic Pellet Losses

Meeting with Karin Karlsbro (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

12 Dec 2024 · Plastic pellets

Meeting with Jutta Paulus (Member of the European Parliament)

9 Dec 2024 · Plastic Pellets Event

Meeting with Thomas Bajada (Member of the European Parliament) and WWF European Policy Programme and

3 Dec 2024 · Event on Seafood Labelling

Meeting with Isabel Carvalhais (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Feb 2024 · Pellet Spill in Spain

Meeting with Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

19 Jan 2024 · Marine Protected Area and Antarctica and Preparation of Our Ocean Conference

Meeting with Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

28 Nov 2023 · Antarctica MPAs

Meeting with Francisco Guerreiro (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and FUNDACION OCEANA and

11 Oct 2023 · NEAFC transposition

Meeting with Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

10 Oct 2023 · Antarctica MPAs

Meeting with Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

14 Sept 2023 · Antartica MPAs

Meeting with Sara Cerdas (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Apr 2023 · The Pew Charitable Trusts

Meeting with Caroline Roose (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Dec 2022 · COP 15 (assistant·e·s)

Meeting with Grace O'Sullivan (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Dec 2022 · Marine Protected Areas beyond areas of national jurisdiction

Meeting with Agne Razmislaviciute-Palioniene (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

24 Nov 2022 · Meeting to discuss NEA fisheries management, with a focus on recent consultations (Coastal states, NEAFC, EU-UK-NO talks) and progress towards ecosystem-based fisheries management.

Meeting with Caroline Roose (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Nov 2022 · Stratégies de collecte, pêche thonière

Meeting with Carmen Preising (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

10 Oct 2022 · Discussions on the preparations of COP15 and MPAs at international level

Meeting with Carmen Preising (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius), Luke Haasbeek (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

29 Sept 2022 · Discussions on preparations for COP15

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

19 Jul 2022 · To exchange views, upon NGO request, on the upcoming Action plan to conserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems, on Commission implementing act on vulnerable marine ecosystems and on European eel status

Meeting with Agne Razmislaviciute-Palioniene (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius), Carmen Preising (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

29 Mar 2022 · WTO, RFMO, microplastics, MPAs, Mediterranean, Sharks.

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

22 Feb 2022 · A regular meeting with NGO to discuss various fisheries matters: 2022 TAC setting, upcoming new Commission initiatives, WTO negotiation, cetaceans by-catch in the Bay of Biscay and in the Baltic Sea, control regulation negotiations etc.

Meeting with Catherine Chabaud (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Jan 2022 · One Ocean Summit

Pew Charitable Trusts offers microplastics research to inform EU policy

17 Jan 2022
Topic — EU consultation on measures to reduce unintentional microplastic releases to the environment.
Message — The organization offers to contribute its updated microplastics analysis and tire research to inform evidence-based EU policy. They are updating their Breaking the Plastic Wave study to include new data on paint as a microplastic source and conducting chemical composition research on 100 tires.123
Why — This positions them as expert advisors shaping EU microplastics policy development.45
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Meeting with Arunas Ribokas (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius) and WWF Deutschland

4 Nov 2021 · Meeting with NGOs together with CAB Dombrovskis, MARE and TRADE) and Anna Holl, WWF, Paulus Tak, Pew, Isabel Jarrett, Pew. Topics discussed: WTO negotiations on fisheries subsidies

Meeting with Kevin Keary (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis), Michael Hager (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and WWF European Policy Programme

4 Nov 2021 · WTO fisheries subsidies

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

13 Jul 2021 · To exchange views with the ‘’blue’’ NGOs on the upcoming Action Plan on sustainable fisheries and protection of marine resources, annual exercise of fixing total allowable catches and ongoing WTO negotiations on fisheries subsidies.

Meeting with Charlina Vitcheva (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and WWF European Policy Programme and

11 May 2021 · Discussion on IUU

Meeting with Antoine Colombani (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Helena Braun (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and

4 May 2021 · Energy Taxation Directive and fisheries

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

12 Feb 2021 · To discuss different blue/marine related issues, in particular bycatch emergency measures, EU-UK negotiations and implementation of the Biodiversity Strategy.

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

14 Oct 2020 · To discuss the upcoming Commission proposals for fishing opportunities for the North Sea/ Atlantic and for the Deep Sea.

Meeting with Charlina Vitcheva (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and WWF European Policy Programme and

16 Sept 2020 · Workings of the Advisory Councils

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

16 Jul 2020 · To discuss the fishing opportunities exercise for 2021, in particular for the Baltic Sea, as well as issues related to the Biodiversity Strategy.

Meeting with Kevin Keary (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

12 Mar 2020 · Fisheries subsidies

Meeting with Carmen Preising (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius), Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

9 Mar 2020 · Marine Protected Areas, Fisheries Subsidies and Regional Fisheries Management organisation

Meeting with Eglantine Cujo (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

14 Feb 2020 · Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

4 Feb 2020 · To discuss outcome of the Council of December 2019 and the NGO views regarding the process of setting the TACs and quotas

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

29 Jan 2020 · To discuss illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

Response to EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy

17 Jan 2020

The Pew Charitable Trusts is leading organization when it comes to global marine conservation work, with considerable scientific and policy expertise in a wide range of themes directly relevant to the post-2020 global biodiversity strategy. We welcome the opportunity to provide feedback to the Commission Roadmap. Please find our comments and recommendations in attachment.
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Meeting with Anthony Agotha (Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and WWF European Policy Programme and

20 Nov 2019 · Exchange of views on sustainability, climate change and maritime issues

Meeting with Pedro Velasco Martins (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström)

25 Sept 2019 · WTO negotiations on fisheries

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

13 May 2019 · Ocean Governance, Fisheries Subsidies, Fishing Opportunities

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella) and OD Communications

6 Feb 2019 · Marine Protected Areas

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and

5 Feb 2019 · IUU Fishing

Response to More efficient law-making in taxation: a move to QMV

21 Jan 2019

Removing the requirement for unanimity in decision-making in the field of taxation would go a long way to facilitating the European Union’s ability to show leadership in reaching the EU’s commitments towards achieving the SDGs while proactively engaging in multilateral discussions on global trade. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal on the oceans, seas and marine resources (SDG 14) explicitly calls for the prohibition of harmful fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, and for the elimination of subsidies that contribute to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing by 2020. The European Union and its member states currently subsidise their fishing industry through several instruments, including fuel tax exemptions. Subsidies that lower the cost of fishing, such as fuel subsidies, are universally considered as capacity-enhancing and environmentally harmful. In European member states, the main vehicle for fishing fuel support is the EU-wide tax exemption on fuel used for fishing activities. This exemption is stipulated in Article 14 of the Energy Taxation Directive (Directive 2003/96/EC). A 2013 study conducted for the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee estimated that between 2002 and 2011 the EU provided the equivalent of €1.05 billion in fuel subsidies through this tax exemption alone. Unanimity in decision-making in the field of taxation prevents the phasing-out of the fuel tax exemption for fisheries and thereby limits the choices available to the Commission and member states in responding to external crises. For example, following a rapid and significant increase in fuel prices in 2007, which threatened to doom many European fishers to an involuntary cessation of fishing activities, the option to (temporarily) lower or remove tax on fuel used for fishing was not available to decision-makers – since fishing fuel was tax exempt anyway, regardless of fluctuations in oil prices. The only option left to the European Commission in the short term was to amend the guidelines for direct state aid in the field of fisheries. The de minimis assistance ceiling was raised from 3.000€ to 30.000€ per beneficiary over any period of three years – and the new ceiling remains in force to this day. This state aid may be used to subsidise operating costs, among which fuel costs are one of the most relevant. While fuel subsidies (direct or indirect) are undesirable due to their capacity-enhancing effects, this example illustrates how an inflexible approach to decision-making limits the courses of action available to decision-makers when faced with crises. Removing the requirement for unanimity in decision-making in the field of taxation would go a long way to facilitating the European Union’s ability to show leadership in reaching the EU’s commitments towards achieving the SDGs while proactively engaging in multilateral discussions on global trade. The European fishing fleet has never been so profitable overall, and fuel prices are relatively low at the moment. The only remaining major hindrance to EU leadership in phasing out its fuel tax exemption lies in the unanimity rule.
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Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

7 Jun 2018 · International Ocean Governance, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

16 Mar 2018 · Ocean Governance, Marine Protected Areas

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and

23 Jan 2018 · common fisheries policy, multi-annual plans and fisheries control regulation

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella) and ClientEarth AISBL and

24 Nov 2017 · implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy

Meeting with Ann Mettler (Director-General Inspire, Debate, Engage and Accelerate Action)

9 Jun 2017 · Public Opinion and Citizen Engagement

Meeting with Fabrizia Panzetti (Cabinet of High Representative / Vice-President Federica Mogherini)

15 Nov 2016 · Presentation of report of US election

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

18 Oct 2016 · ICCAT ANNUAL MEEETING

Response to Interservice consultation on a Commission proposal for the GES Decision

12 Oct 2016

Feedback part 2 of 2: 2) Descriptor 3 – Specifications and standardized methods for monitoring and assessment Descriptor 3, item 1(d): With respect to item 1(d), “The species under multiannual plans according to Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013”, Pew would like to reaffirm that multi-annual plans (MAPs), such as the proposed multi-annual plan for the North Sea [Com(2016)493final], would benefit from a definitive list of stocks covered, also in view of the proposal for member states to create lists for application of the criteria in each assessment area. This would not only ensure clarity on the scope of the MAPs themselves but also the scope of requirements under linked legislation, such as this proposal. Descriptor 3, item 1(f): Pew also welcomes the inclusion of item 1(f), “Any important species on a regional or national scale for small-scale/local coastal fisheries”, which is important addition where there are national commercial species not covered by items 1(a)-(e). Descriptor 3, item 3: “D3C1, D3C2 and D3C3, populations shall be understood as stocks under Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013”. It is not clear under what criteria other commercial species, to be identified by member states in relation to the scope of items 1(b)-(f), will be identified and evaluated. Descriptor 3, item 4(a): Descriptor 3 item 4(a) on multi-annual plans, should make reference to maintaining biomass levels above those capable of producing the maximum sustainable yield to ensure consistency with the CFP basic regulation Article 2.2 and D3C2. In addition, Pew has concerns about provisions established in the recently agreed Baltic MAP. Pew strongly opposes continued overfishing above the FMSY point value fishing rates. Yet, the Baltic MAP includes ranges of fishing mortalities (F ranges) around the FMSY target fishing mortality (e.g. Fupper and Flower). Fishing above FMSY implies reduced stock biomass and this may be substantial where Fupper is much higher than FMSY. When utilizing FMSY ranges there are more advantages to fishing between FMSY and Flower than between FMSY and Fupper. With higher fishing mortalities (between FMSY and Fupper) the size of the fish in the stock and the catch will be smaller on average and there will be a greater probability of SSB being less than MSY Btrigger (and therefore BMSY). ICES itself calculated the ranges on the basis that they deliver no more than 5% reduction in long-term yield compared with MSY and it is unclear how fishing above the FMSY point value will contribute to restoring and maintaining fish populations above BMSY levels in line with CFP Article 2(2). The aim of the CFP and MSFD, which are supposed to be coherent with each other, is to restore stocks above BMSY. Therefore stocks subject to fishing mortality rates between FMSY and Fupper cannot be considered a positive indicator for GES. To be consistent with the CFP the quantitative assessment of stocks with fishing mortality rates needs to be based on those at or below FMSY (e.g. in the MAPs FMSY and Flower range). ICES itself highlight in their advice on F ranges that for some mixed fisheries it may be difficult to reconcile the Fs on different stocks. An approach for maximizing long-term yield could be to attempt to reconcile F on a mixed fishery using Fs between Flower and FMSY. Contact: Andrew Clayton, Project Director, Ending Overfishing in Northwestern Europe The Pew Charitable Trusts Avenue des Arts 40, 7th Floor, 1040 Brussels Belgium AClayton@pewtrusts.org www.pewenvironment.eu
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Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

4 Mar 2016 · Ocean Governance, IUU fishing, seabed mining, RFMOs

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

4 Mar 2016 · strategy

Meeting with Joao Aguiar Machado (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and WWF European Policy Programme and

10 Nov 2015 · Implementation of CFP / fighting against IUU

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

14 Oct 2015 · Ocean Governance, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and WWF European Policy Programme and

28 Sept 2015 · Ocean Governance, IUU

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and WWF European Policy Programme and

22 Sept 2015 · Common Fisheries Policy

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

8 Jul 2015 · Ocean Governance, IUU, Blue Growth, RFMOs

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and WWF European Policy Programme and

23 Jun 2015 · Ocean Governance

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella) and WWF European Policy Programme

15 Jun 2015 · Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing, Ocean Governance

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella) and WWF European Policy Programme and Environmental Justice Foundation

30 Apr 2015 · IUU fishing

Meeting with Gabriella Pace (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella) and Greenpeace European Unit

11 Mar 2015 · CFP implementation

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

23 Feb 2015 · International aspects of maritime affairs and fisheries

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella), Gabriella Pace (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

19 Jan 2015 · Revision of the EU Deep Sea Access Regime

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and WWF European Policy Programme and FUNDACION OCEANA

19 Jan 2015 · Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella), Gabriella Pace (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

8 Dec 2014 · Implementation of the landing obligation

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner) and

4 Dec 2014 · Implementation of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy, Ocean Governance, Deep Sea Access