Fishing fleets are modern and efficient, and the market for protein from the sea is strong. Since 1990, total European landings of marine catch have increased by 25 per cent despite a reduced fleet capacity. Overfishing has resulted in a reduction of many marine fish stocks to levels below those that can sustain their populations (Table 1). (See Emerging Challenges and GEO Indicators sections.)
In October 2003, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) advised zero catches of cod and several other fish stocks, until stocks recovered to certain specific levels (ICES 2003). The European Commission adopted a proposal on the establishment of a revised fishing effort regime in the western waters, which aims to protect fish stocks (European Council 2003).
Commercial inland fisheries have fallen by 32 per cent since 1990 (EEA 2003b). The FAO notes that environmental degradation, rather than overexploitation, is the biggest threat to inland fish stocks. However, illegal landings, for example of sturgeon from the Caspian Sea, are often many times greater than legal landings and constitute a major pressure on the resource