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| Day boats landing at Le Guilvinec fish market |
Representatives of the Breton fisheries committees are raising the alarm about the potentially serious consequences of the upcoming EU negotiations on fishing quotas for 2026. Without concrete political commitment, a significant part of the Breton fishing sector could disappear.
There is considerable concern, particularly about the impact on mackerel quotas (-77%), but also on other fish species such as cod, whiting, haddock, and yellowfin tuna in the Celtic Sea. The recommendations of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) regarding allowable catches (TACs) threaten to once again leave Breton fishermen to bear the burden of disrupted ecosystems.
In addition, there are concerns about langoustines, glass eels, and plaice, fish species that Breton fishermen have always tried to protect. At the same time, the proposed increases in sea bass quotas would be diametrically opposed to sustainable fishing and a balanced market.
Call for Caution
"The continuous and drastic changes to fishing quotas are no longer sustainable," emphasizes Sébastien Le Prince, a fisherman and representative of the Breton fisheries committees. " The Commission's proposals, which focus solely on quantitative calculations, will further penalize the Breton fishing sector, while we have been working on improving our fishing methods for over 20 years."
The Breton fisheries sector is now facing a crucial moment: not only quota cuts are threatened, but also technical restrictions and time- and space-based fishing bans.
"It is unthinkable that the Breton fisheries should suffer such a heavy blow again. The economic and human consequences would be dramatic, with irreversible damage to our social and political model ," warns Le Prince.
Appeal to the French Government
The Breton fisheries committees are urgently calling on the French Minister of the Sea and Fisheries, Catherine Chabaud, to ensure that several key criteria are respected during the negotiations on fishing quotas:
The great vulnerability of Breton companies, which have already been severely affected by increasingly strict maritime planning (Brexit, offshore wind energy, protected marine areas). The visible consequences of climate change, which affects the migration of fish species, and the rivalry with countries outside the EU that arises from these changes.
“We refuse to accept an increasingly precarious framework for these negotiations, especially now that geopolitical pressure and environmental awareness call for caution ,” the fisheries committees said.
More than ever, Breton fishermen deserve the government's trust. They must be heard, respected, and defended, as our maritime and food sovereignty, and the balance of our coastal areas, are at stake.