On 10 August 2026, the European Commission adopted harmonised rules for weighing fishery products across the European Union (EU). Accurate weighing is crucial for effective fisheries control. It produces the reliable catch data needed to monitor quota uptake, assess the impact of fishing activities and check compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). It also protects EU fishers from unfair competition. The new rules
- set common procedures for weighing operations across the Union;
- set minimum requirements for weighing systems and records;
- establish minimum benchmarks for inspections of weighing procedures;
- define the common content of sampling plans, control plans and common control programmes;
- allow these plans and programmes to be adapted where specific circumstances justify it, while safeguarding the objectives of the fisheries control system.
Under the previous rules, Member States adopted 44 different plans and programmes to weigh catches, resulting in derogations with varying conditions across the Union. The new rules will apply from January 2027. [1]
Did you know there is a map layer on total annual catch of fishery products by country in the European Atlas of the Seas? The data are expressed in the live weight equivalent of the landings. This is the weight as the product is taken from the water (that is, before processing) but excludes any products which, for a variety of reasons, are not landed catches by Member States. The map layer shows the available data in 2024. To see how total annual catch of fishery products has evolved in a country, click on the country and have a look at the graph in the dedicated window. Note that for some countries the data is not available for 2024. If you click on these countries, you can nevertheless see the available data from previous years.
Wish to learn more?
- Explore the information on fisheries management published on the Oceans and Fisheries website managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE);
- Read about marine living resources on the website of the EU Blue Economy Observatory;
- Read about the sustainable blue economy and find out about the Energy Transition Partnership for EU Fisheries & Aquaculture.
Interested in shaping the future of the Sustainable Blue Economy?
Find out about the 10th edition of the Advanced Master in Sustainable Blue Economy, jointly organised by the Italian National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (OGS) and the University of Trieste and designed for professionals and postgraduate students who want to drive innovation, protect marine ecosystems, and contribute to a more sustainable future for the ocean. Applications are open until 10 September 2026, 23:59 CET.
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Learn about the EU4Ocean Coalition and join Partners4Ocean, a community of more than 200 members that brings together European organisations and companies working to connect ocean knowledge with sustainable growth and innovation, including industry and clusters, the private sector, researchers, individual experts, NGOs and change makers from different backgrounds.
The data in the map is provided by Eurostat.
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