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- European Atlas of the Seas
What do we want the future of the European fisheries and aquaculture sectors to look like? Their future is currently being developed under the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture – a 15-year strategic framework, led by the European Commission, to address the sector’s structural challenges and secure its long-term sustainability and competitiveness.[1] Last week, the call for evidence for the Vision 2040 was closed. In such a call, views are collected from stakeholders, experts and citizens. Feedback collected through this call for evidence will directly inform the development of the Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture. In addition to the call for evidence, the European Commission is engaged in ongoing structured dialogue with stakeholders, including discussions on achieving a level playing field, strengthening food security, conserving marine biological resources, and driving the green, digital and social transition in coastal communities. [1]
The Vision 2040 stems from a broader approach that the European Union is taking to better protect the ocean and promote a thriving blue economy.[2] In the European Ocean Pact, adopted in 2025, a coordinated plan was built around six priorities, including ‘boosting the competitiveness of the sustainable blue economy’.[2] Under the Ocean Pact, action areas were defined, and developing a Vision 2040 for fisheries and aquaculture is one of them.[2] The Vision 2040 will address four interconnected dimensions.[1]
- Aquatic food demand;
- Aquatic food supply;
- Workforce;
- Infrastructure and financing.
The fisheries and aquaculture sectors are important parts of the EU blue economy. The EU Blue Economy Report 2025 highlighted the ongoing progress towards a sustainable European blue economy. This trajectory is important for the European Green Deal that aims to cut emissions by at least 50% by 2030, and transition to a climate neutral Europe by 2050. In line with these efforts is the expected Energy Transition Roadmap that aims to provide clear and actionable guidance to support the transition process.[3]
The energy transition is important for EU fisheries and aquaculture autonomy. When global fuel prices increase, these sectors are affected too. The dashboard on the EU Blue Economy Observatory, launched by the European Commission, measures the impact of fuel prices on the economic performance of the EU fishing sector. [4] Efforts are focused on lowering the sector’s dependence on fossil fuels and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.[4]
Do you have an idea how much fuel fishing vessels need? In 2022, the EU fishing fleet consumed 1.60 billion litres of fuel to land 3.5 million tonnes of fish valued at 6.6 billion euros at the first sale. This translates to roughly 4.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. But trends over the years show that the EU fleet has become more efficient – emissions have decreased faster than the weight of landings decreased, and the value of landings even increased.[4]
Explore the Map of the Week to learn more about seawater finfish farms, fishing fleet by engine power and the location of windfarms. Click on the symbols of the three different map layers to see additional information!
Wish to learn more?
- Explore blue economy indicators provided by the EU Blue Economy Observatory;
- Read more about the blue economy energy transition;
- Learn more about the Energy Transition Partnership for EU fisheries and aquaculture;
- Find out about the first best practices competition of the Energy Transition Partnership, aiming to reward success stories, solutions and initiatives that help the fisheries and aquaculture communities advance their energy transition;
- Have a look at the AQUAPHOENIX project, a four-year EU project funded by Horizon Europe that is working to capture and reuse aquaculture waste to produce novel fertilisers and fish feed, biogas and microalgae.
The data in the map is provided by EMODnet and Eurostat.
The European Atlas of the Seas is powered by the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet). Don’t miss the latest news, register for the monthly EMODnet News Digest.
[2] https://oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu/european-ocean-pact_en