A report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and the Council, published on 16 July 2026, assesses the application of the EU fisheries control system under Regulation 1224/2009 for the period 2020-2024. The document notes a 6% decline in valid fishing licences (from 72,562 in 2020 to 68,085 in 2024), with 1,669 suspended and 6,368 withdrawn. Fishing authorisations fell 8% (from 35,128 to 32,474), with 99 suspended and 1,664 withdrawn. The report highlights improvements in monitoring technology but points to persistent shortcomings in weighing, catch registration, and landing obligation enforcement across several Member States.
The report covers Member States, the European Commission, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), and commercial operators. Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) coverage for vessels over 15 metres stood at 98% in 2020 and 96% in 2024, while coverage for vessels 12-15 metres rose from 36% to 48%. Automatic Identification System (AIS) use on vessels over 15 metres increased from 80% to 84%. Electronic logbook (e-logbook) usage exceeded 95% for vessels over 12 metres in 2024, and for vessels 10-12 metres it rose from 49% to 66%. Over 230,000 inspections were conducted under joint deployment plans between 2020 and 2024, with more than 45,000 in 2024 alone. Suspected infringements averaged 8% of inspections, with misreporting accounting for over 40% of all suspected infringements in 2024, except in the Mediterranean. A total of 367,227 inspections were reported over the period: 50% in port, 25% at sea, 21% on the market, and 4.5% during transport. The number of patrol vessels decreased from 1,061 in 2020 to 1,015 in 2024, with over 115,000 patrol days at sea. By 2024, 72 surveillance aircraft were in use, logging almost 33,000 surveillance hours. Infringement procedures against five Member States for landing obligation failures were closed in 2024.
The report notes that the revised Control Regulation (2023/2842) applies mostly from January 2026, with remote electronic monitoring (REM) becoming mandatory by 10 January 2028 for high-risk vessels of 18 metres and over. The Commission expects the revised regulation's digitalisation and REM requirements to address the identified shortcomings. The report does not propose new measures but serves as a mandated review under Article 118 of the regulation.
For EU fishing operators, the decline in licences and authorisations signals tighter access, while the upcoming REM mandate will impose compliance costs on high-risk vessel owners. National authorities face continued pressure to improve enforcement, particularly on weighing and catch registration, with potential infringement procedures if gaps persist. EU consumers may benefit from better compliance and more accurate catch data, improving the sustainability of fish stocks. The European Commission and EFCA will oversee the transition to the revised regulation, with increased digitalisation expected to streamline monitoring but requiring investment in systems and training.