The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to simplify the implementation of the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) and to transpose the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies into EU law.
While reducing unnecessary administrative burdens is important, regulatory simplification should not overlook the social dimensions of fisheries and maritime policy. The Commission itself identifies challenges relating to employment, labour conditions, support for small-scale fisheries, and generational renewal. These are fundamentally social issues, which reinforce the need to integrate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) principles into the policy process, even where a full impact assessment is not undertaken.
The MSA recommends that particular consideration be given to the realities of small island states such as Malta, where coastal communities face unique structural challenges, including limited territorial space, climate change, competing coastal uses, tourism pressures, and dependence on marine resources. In such contexts, seemingly technical regulatory changes may have significant social consequences.
The Association also welcomes the EU Strategy for Coastal Communities, which recognises the importance of locally led solutions, resilient coastal economies, and vibrant coastal communities. EMFAF implementation should be fully aligned with this vision by recognising fisheries not only as an economic sector but also as a source of cultural heritage, social cohesion, community resilience, and sustainable local development.
The MSA further recommends that EMFAF continue to prioritise small-scale and artisanal fisheries, which make important contributions to local employment, food security, social and cultural cohesion, maritime heritage, and environmentally sustainable fishing practices. At the same time, public funding should avoid reinforcing forms of industrial fishing that contribute to environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and unequal competition that undermines the livelihoods and long-term viability of small-scale fishers.
Future monitoring of EMFAF should extend beyond administrative efficiency and financial absorption to include social indicators relating to employment quality, generational renewal, community resilience, social inclusion, and the wellbeing of coastal communities. Such an approach would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and contribute to environmentally sustainable, socially just, and resilient fisheries governance across the European Union.
.png)