EU Ocean Pact: Protection of Aquatic Animals Falls Short

Yet amid the momentum for ocean protection, aquatic animals were once again left behind.

The European Ocean Pact was part of the mandate that Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis received in September of last year. The aim of the Pact is to ensure coherence across all policy areas in the context of the oceans, to support resilient and healthy oceans and coastal areas, to promote the blue economy, to manage the use of our seas and oceans coherently, and to develop a comprehensive agenda for marine knowledge, innovation and investment.

Several initiatives within the Pact are promising, such as the proposal for an Ocean Law in 2027, stricter sustainability requirements for imported fishery and aquaculture products, and support for expanding algae production in the EU.

However, as the EU charts a course toward more sustainable ocean governance, animal welfare must not fall by the wayside. Animal welfare standards for aquatic animals reflect both the values of citizens and the expectations of industry, and should be an integral part of the EU's ocean agenda.

More than 155 organisations, coordinated by the Aquatic Life Institute through the Aquatic Animal Alliance, submitted a joint position ahead of the 2025 UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3). Their message was clear: if we truly want to accelerate action for the ocean, we must broaden the definition of sustainability to include the welfare of aquatic animals and redirect investments and innovations in the food system toward ecologically sound, animal welfare-friendly alternatives.

The political declaration adopted at UNOC3 — “Our Ocean, Our Future: Acting Together for Urgency” — however drew no connection between biodiversity and animal welfare and thus missed another important opportunity.

Meanwhile, the World Federation for Animals has highlighted at the Dialogue on Ocean and Climate Change in Bonn the crucial role that aquatic animals play in resilience to climate change.

That is why the Eurogroup for Animals continues to call for specific EU legislation to protect aquatic animals, covering both aquaculture and fisheries. This must be a central element in the modernisation of EU animal welfare laws and the review of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Billions of aquatic animals suffer unnecessarily in current systems, largely without legal protection. As the EU advances its ocean agenda, it is time to bring animal welfare out of obscurity.

You can help all animals and our planet with compassion. Choose compassion on your plate and in your glass. Go vegan.