Committees · Fisheries

PECH

1 ESN seat

Fisheries.

The Committee on Fisheries is responsible for EU fisheries policy, including the Common Fisheries Policy, conservation and management of marine biological resources, fisheries agreements, fleet measures, market rules, aquaculture, control and enforcement, and the socio-economic conditions of coastal communities.

ESN seats

Members total

Subcommittees

2024–29

10th term

Mandate & Tasks

What This Committee Handles.

It scrutinises Commission initiatives and shapes Parliament’s position on fisheries legislation and international maritime governance.

Key facts · PECH

Full name

Committee on Fisheries

Size

27 members

ESN seats

1 of 27

Subcommittees

Meeting cycle

Legal basis

Annex VI of the EP Rules of Procedure

ESN in PECH

The future of the CFP, fishing opportunities, a proposed ban on Russian fish imports

— ESN Committee Booklet · Committee on Fisheries

Remit

Four Policy Areas of the Committee.

ESN Position

Our Line in the Committee.

The Group’s priorities in this committee, as set out in the ESN Committee Booklet.

Defence of Europe's Fishing Communities

ESN's work in PECH is guided by subsidiarity, national competence and the defence of Europe's fishing communities.

Small-Scale and Family-Owned Fleets

It prioritises small-scale and family-owned fleets, science-based stock management, fair competition with imports, less bureaucracy and practical funding for fleet modernisation and renewal.

Genuine Ecological Protection

ESN supports genuine ecological protection while opposing measures used to centralise decision-making, weaken coastal economies or reduce European competitiveness.

ESN Members in PECH

One Seat in This Committee.

The ESN seat in PECH is held by the Members listed below. The named assignment is updated at the start of each session period.

Full Member

Siegbert DROESE

Substitute Member

Volker SCHNURRBUSCH

As of 2026 · Full list with named assignments available on request from the secretariat

Track record

Key Achievements.

Since the start of the mandate, ESN has developed a clear sovereigntist profile in PECH. It tabled amendments and shaped positions on decarbonisation and fleet modernisation, the Baltic Sea multiannual plan, invasive alien and sensitive species, biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction, ocean diplomacy and protection of the Common Fisheries Policy. Its interventions have defended Member State competence, socio-economic impact assessments, small-scale fishers, regional specificities and reciprocity for imports, while challenging unrealistic targets, excessive reporting and top-down maritime governance.

ESN in action

Defended small-scale fleets and regional fishing communities.

Shaped files on fleet modernisation, the Baltic Sea and maritime governance.

Demanded reciprocity and fair competition for imported fish products.

Outlook

Looking Ahead.

In the coming months, PECH will remain focused on the future of the CFP, fishing opportunities, a proposed ban on Russian fish imports, IUU enforcement, sustainable fisheries partnership agreements, and the follow-up to the European Ocean Pact. ESN should continue pushing for science-based management, simplified funding, a level playing field for EU fishers, and protection of small-scale fleets from disproportionate regulatory burdens and Green Deal style measures.

Documents

From the Parliament.

Studies, briefings and meeting documents of this committee, published by the European Parliament.

Draft Report · 2026

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the implementation into Union law of the latest measures adopted by regional fisheries management organisations

Opinion · 2026

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2027 - all sections

Opinion · 2026

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing Global Europe

Draft Opinion · 2026

General budget of the European Union for the financial year 2027 - all sections

Draft Report · 2026

Multiannual plan for the fisheries exploiting demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea

Provisional Agreement · 2026

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2017/2107 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Convention area of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), Regulation (EU) 2018/975 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) Convention Area, Regulation (EU) 2019/833 laying down conservation and enforcement measures applicable in the Regulatory Area of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation, Regulation (EU) 2021/56 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Convention, Regulation (EU) 2022/2056 laying down conservation and management measures applicable in the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention Area, Regulation (EU) 2022/2343 laying down management, conservation and control measures applicable in the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) Area of Competence, and Regulation (EU) 2023/2053 establishing a multiannual management plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean

Provisional Agreement · 2026

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation amending Regulation (EU) No 2023/2124 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 October 2023 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area

Draft Opinion · 2026

Proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a budget expenditure tracking and performance framework and other horizontal rules for the Union programmes and activities

Related committees

Also of Interest.

Three closely related committees in which the ESN Group is represented.

SANT

Public Health

The Committee on Public Health is responsible for EU action in public health, where the Union mainly complements and coordinates the policies of the Member States.

ENVI

Environment, Climate and Food Safety

The Committee on the Environment, Climate and Food Safety deals with legislation on climate, the environment and food safety.

AGRI

Agriculture and Rural Development

The Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development plays a central role in shaping European agricultural policy.