Facts and figures on the common fisheries policy : basic statistical data : 2016 edition

Europe intrinsically understands the need for the sustainability of fish resources. Fish stocks may be renewable, but unless they are managed properly they are also finite - and we risk overfishing and depleting them. Sustainable management, on the other hand, creates stable conditions to invest, and contributes to the economic viability of our industry, in line with the European Commission's agenda for jobs and growth. Managing fish stocks properly means at least two things. First of all, policy must be based on science: we need to have a good biological understanding of the state of the stocks as well as sound economic and social data on the sector before we decide how much our fishermen can fish. And secondly, we need to have a transparent and fair set of rules for fishermen - rules that governments must enforce by promoting a culture of compliance and applying deterring sanctions for wrongdoers.