Advisory councils (ACs) are stakeholders’ organisations made up of representatives from the industry and other interest groups (which respectively have 60% and 40% of the seats in the General Assembly and the Executive Committee). Their purpose is to submit recommendations on issues related to fisheries and aquaculture to the Commission and the Member States. Advisory Councils may also provide information for the development of conservation measures, while Member States have to consult them in the context of regionalisation.

As they pursue an aim of general interest for the EU, Advisory Councils receive financial assistance from the Commission to cover part of their operational costs.

In addition to the seven existing Advisory Councils (Baltic Sea, Long Distance Fleet, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, North-Western Waters, Pelagic Stocks, South-Western Waters), the latest CFP reform of 2013 established four new Advisory Councils for the Black Sea, Aquaculture, Markets and Outermost Regions, which are now all operational. »