Photo: Oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu

EU Moves to Plug 'Power Leak': New Rules to Tightly Control Fishing Vessel Engine Output

EUROPEAN UNION
Tuesday, October 14, 2025, 00:10 (GMT + 9)

The European Commission has issued two technical guidance documents to help EU countries enforce strict monitoring of engine power, a critical measure for ensuring the sustainable management of marine resources and preventing overfishing.

BRUSSELS - The European Commission has released crucial technical guidance aimed at standardizing and strengthening how EU countries monitor and control the engine power of their fishing fleets. This move is a direct response to shortcomings identified in a 2019 Commission study and is designed to improve the effectiveness of fishing effort management under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Engine power (measured in kW) is a key metric used to determine the size and capacity of the European fishing fleet, where specific power ceilings are set for each EU country to prevent overfishing and protect marine ecosystems.

Source: Energy audit and carbon footprint in trawl fisheries | Click on the image to enlarge it

Enforcing Accurate Monitoring and Fair Competition

The initiative underscores the Commission's commitment to sustainable fishing practices and addressing discrepancies in current monitoring systems. Accurate registration and control of engine power are essential for:

1. Managing Capacity and Effort: Controlling the size and capacity of EU fishing vessels to align with sustainability goals.

2. Protecting Marine Stocks: Preventing vessels from using excessive power, which can lead to overfishing and harm vulnerable ecosystems.

3. Ensuring a Level Playing Field: Guaranteeing that all fishers across the EU operate under harmonized, fair requirements.

The two guidance documents were developed with input from experts from EU countries specializing in engine power certification and verification, as well as external stakeholders.

Technical Focus on Continuous Monitoring

The guidance documents prepare EU countries for the mandatory implementation of continuous engine power monitoring systems, set to take effect on January 10, 2028, as required by the revised Fisheries Control Regulation.

The two new publications provide specific technical advice:

1. Technical Guidance for Monitoring, Certification, and Verification: This document provides a framework to help EU countries set up harmonized systems for the monitoring, certification, and verification of engine power for catching vessels.

2. Technical Specifications and Guidance for Implementation of Continuous Monitoring Devices: This document gives EU countries the precise technical specifications needed to successfully and timely roll out the new continuous monitoring devices, which will be mandatory for certain categories of high-risk catching vessels.

The Commission has urged EU countries to immediately begin utilizing both documents to implement the Fisheries Control Regulation and report any issues encountered to facilitate knowledge-sharing within the established technical working group.

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