More EU fish stocks are now fished at sustainable levels, the EU Commission reported on June 6, 2025. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the share of overfished assessed stocks fell to 52 percent according to the 2025 SoMFi report from GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean), the lowest figure on record. The report covers data primarily through 2023. Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis said he was pleased fewer stocks face overfishing but warned of ongoing climate risks.
The GFCM 2025 SoMFi report estimates fishing mortality relative to sustainable levels between 0.74 and 1.1, representing a 48 to 64 percent decline in overfishing rates since 2013. Stock biomass remains below target levels in most cases but shows clear upward trend as fishing pressure drops. The 2020 GFCM report found 75 percent of Mediterranean and Black Sea stocks overfished, according to SeafoodSource, down from rates 10 percent higher between 2014 and 2018.
Hake in the Adriatic Reaches Sustainable Levels
At a ministerial conference in Nicosia on May 5, 2026, the EU and Mediterranean neighbors committed to continued cooperation rebuilding stocks and adopting a new MedFish4Ever declaration in 2027. The EU Commission reported that since the original 2026 declaration, half of Mediterranean fish stocks have begun recovering. Bottom-dwelling species like Adriatic hake reached maximum sustainable yield for the first time. Fishing restriction areas showed positive spillover effects into adjacent waters, and selective gear reduced bycatch.
Northeast Atlantic Recovering, Baltic in Decline
In the Northeast Atlantic, stocks are on average in good health, though several key species face pressure as climate change affects distribution and ecosystems. The Baltic Sea shows further declines; certain stocks are no longer actively fished and only land as bycatch. More than half of Mediterranean assessed stocks remain overfished, and illegal fishing plus fleet overcapacity burden the sector further. Commissioner Kadis called the Mediterranean situation challenging but said the trend can reverse with urgent coordinated action.
GFCM data shows individual recovery stories. Sole in the Adriatic saw fishing mortality decline 42 percent since 2019 while biomass grew 64 percent. GFCM credits progress from 2013 to 2023 measures, which reduced average fishing pressure 50 percent, doubled the share of sustainably fished stocks, and raised biomass 25 percent. The recovery also involved lower production and economic strain on certain fleets and communities.
Regional patterns vary. In the western Mediterranean, many stocks began recovering after 2019 under the EU management plan. Scientific projections suggested half could reach sustainable levels by 2025.
Industry Concerns
Industry federation president Javier Garat said the current framework and its implementation contributed to job losses and urged the Commission to propose revisions soon.
Open Risks: Illegal Fishing, Climate, and the Next Generation
The Commission noted that illegal fishing and fleet overcapacity continue undermining the sector, climate change raises pressure, and small-scale fishing communities face economic hardship while young people leave the profession. For the planned 2027 MedFish4Ever declaration, conference participants named five priorities including stronger enforcement against illegal fishing, targeted support for small-scale fishers, and generational renewal in the profession.