Who represents and organises maritime fishing professionals in France?

The French maritime fishing sector, rich in diversity and history, is structured by a complex set of professional organisations and consultative bodies. For a fisherman, a shipowner or a player in the downstream industry, understanding who does what in this sector is a complex task. institutional landscape is not always easy. Yet these bodies play a decisive role in defending the sector's interests, managing resources, organising markets and maintaining dialogue with national and European public authorities.

Navigating this ecosystem requires knowledge of the main structures in place. From inter-professional committees to producer organisations and consultative bodies, each entity has its own remit and field of action. This article sets out to untangle this web by presenting the key players who shape the professional organisation of maritime fishing in France.

Fisheries committees: a hierarchical inter-professional structure

At the heart of the professional organisation are the comités des pêches maritimes et des élevages marins. Their existence dates back to the post-war period, with an inter-professional organisation established by an ordinance of 1945. Faced with the difficulties encountered by the sector at the end of the 20th century, this structure was radically overhauled by the law of 2 May 1991 on inter-professional organisation, supplemented by an implementing decree of 1992 setting out their operating rules. These texts still form the basis of their organisation today, even if certain provisions have since been incorporated into the Code rural et de la pêche maritime.

These committees operate in a pyramid structure, from local to national level. They share common characteristics: they have legal personality, which enables them to take legal action or enter into contracts, and they are financially autonomous. Their resources come from a variety of sources, including parafiscal taxes levied on products, compulsory professional contributions, voluntary contributions, remuneration for services rendered and subsidies.

Membership of these committees is compulsory for professionals operating in their area and involved in the activities concerned (production, first purchase, processing).

• The National Committee for Sea Fisheries and Marine Farming (CNPMEM) CNPMEM: Located at the top of the pyramid, CNPMEM represents the general interests of the French fishing and marine aquaculture industries to national public authorities, as well as to European Union bodies. Its governing bodies are a large assembly (around 130 members according to the founding texts) and a smaller council, an offshoot of the assembly. These bodies bring together representatives from every link in the industry: production (crews, company directors), maritime cooperatives, wholesale fish trade, processing (canning, freezing, salting, etc.) and even seaweed harvesting. The CNPMEM's main tasks are to guarantee economic information for professionals, to help disseminate know-how, to contribute to research and experimentation, and to coordinate the work of regional and local committees. It may adopt resolutions which, under certain conditions (in particular if they are necessary for the implementation of national or European regulations on resource management), may be made binding on the entire industry by ministerial decree. This possibility gives the CNPMEM genuine regulatory power, albeit exercised under the supervision of the minister responsible for fisheries.
• Regional Committees (CRPMEM) CPMEM: Set up at regional level or for a group of regions, the CPMEM adapt national guidelines to specific local circumstances. Their councils, made up of representatives from the various regional professional sectors, appoint a president. Their missions are essential: they play an active role in the balanced management of marine resources at regional level, for example by proposing measures to limit access to certain fisheries or by regulating the use of certain gear. They act as information relays between the national level and local stakeholders, coordinate the work of the local committees in their area, and represent the interests of regional fisheries vis-à-vis the authorities and other partners. Like the CNPMEM, they can adopt resolutions that can be made binding by order of the regional prefect, particularly to implement measures to conserve resources.
• Local committees (CLPMEM) Inter-professional committees: Set up in ports or groups of ports with significant fishing activity, these committees are the local level of the inter-professional organisation. Their councils bring together local representatives of crews, fishermen, primary purchasing and processing companies and maritime cooperatives. Representatives from the production sector are elected. The role of the local committees is to provide economic information as close to the ground as possible, to pass on concerns and proposals to higher levels (regional and national), to apply decisions taken locally and to represent the interests of the port's fishermen in dealings with local authorities or other players.

This hierarchical system is designed to provide a comprehensive representation of the industry and link the various levels of decision-making and management.

Fish merchants: the first commercial link

The wholesaler plays a pivotal role between production and distribution. The 1997 policy law defines the activity of the wholesale fish trade as that of "any trader who makes the first purchase of sea-fish products intended for human consumption with a view to marketing them"..

To carry out this activity, fishmongers must have an establishment approved to handle fish products. This health approval, which meets strict European standards (see article 4), is an essential condition. Carrying out the activity without this approval may result in penalties.

An interesting provision of the 1997 law (article 56) concerns fishmongers' shops located on the public domain of the State, particularly in ports under the jurisdiction of the départements. It allows fish merchants to hold rights in rem. In practical terms, this means that they can, for example, mortgage their facilities in order to obtain financing, which is a considerable advantage given the high cost of meeting health standards.

Producer organisations: key players in management and the market

Alongside the compulsory inter-branch structure of committees, there are producer organisations (POs), which are set up on the voluntary initiative of the fishermen themselves. Set up in 1970 under European regulations on the common organisation of the market (CMO), POs aim to "to take measures to ensure rational fishing and to improve conditions for the sale of produce"..

To be recognised by the authorities (in France, by ministerial decree), a PO must prove that it is representative of its area of activity. This can be measured by the number of member vessels or by the volume of production marketed by the organisation. POs can adopt different legal forms: commercial companies, economic interest groupings (EIGs), associations under the 1901 Act or cooperatives.

Unlike committees, producers are free to join a PO. Producers are also free to withdraw from a PO, but this is subject to certain conditions: a period of notice (usually one year) and a minimum period of membership (often three years) are required to avoid instability that would be detrimental to the collective operation. A PO that accepts a member who does not respect these time limits is liable to administrative sanctions.

POs play a major role in two main areas:

1. La quota management They can be directly allocated part of the national fishing quota. They must then set up a management plan to allocate and monitor the use of this quota among their members.
2. La market regulation They are the linchpins of the withdrawal price system (detailed in Article 4), which aims to prevent prices for certain products from collapsing. They can also collectively organise marketing to make the most of their members' production.

To reinforce their action, the rules adopted by a PO (for example on production planning or marketing conditions) may, under certain conditions and by decision of the administrative authority, be extended to all producers in the area, even those who are not members. This is known as the "extension" rule.

POs may receive public aid for their formation and operation. However, this aid, particularly national aid, is strictly regulated by European competition law to avoid distorting trade between Member States.

There are around twenty POs in France, often structured on a geographical basis or by type of fishing (for example, FROM Nord, OPOB Bretagne, Proma...). National federations, such as ANOP and FEDOPA, bring together some of these POs and have PO status themselves.

Other advisory and intervention bodies

Other bodies complete the institutional landscape:

• Conseil Supérieur d'Orientation des Politiques Halieutiques, Aquacoles et Halioalimentaires (CSO) (Higher Council for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Food Industry Policy) The CSO (whose name and exact remit have since changed) was set up by the 1997 law to institutionalise a monitoring committee set up after the crisis of the 1990s. Through its opinions, it helps to define and assess the various public policies affecting the sector (resource management, structures, markets, social affairs, research, etc.). Its aim is to maintain an ongoing dialogue between the government and the industry.
• FranceAgriMer The OFIMER (Office national interprofessionnel des produits de la mer et de l'aquaculture), itself created by the 1997 law to replace the FIOM (Fonds d'intervention et d'organisation des marchés), plays an important role. It is responsible for monitoring market trends, disseminating economic information and helping to implement policies to guide production and organise the fishing and aquaculture industry. It also manages certain public subsidies.
• The Consultative Councils (CC) of the European Union These councils were set up as part of the 2002 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (and have since been strengthened), with the aim of improving governance by involving stakeholders more widely. Composed mainly of representatives of the fishing industry, but also of other interest groups (environment, consumers) and scientific experts, their role is to provide the European Commission with advice and recommendations on fisheries management in specific geographical areas (North Sea, Western Waters, Mediterranean, etc.) or for particular stocks (pelagic, etc.). Seven CCs were initially set up, several of which have been operational since the mid-2000s. They provide an important forum for dialogue at European level.

Understanding the role and operation of these different bodies is an asset for any fishing professional wishing to defend their interests, take part in the collective management of their trade or simply find out about the rules that affect them. Navigating this institutional landscape can seem complex at first. If you're wondering how these bodies affect your day-to-day activity, or what opportunities there are for you to get involved in them, you've come to the right place, our team can provide clarification and guidance.

Sources

• Law no. 91-411 of 2 May 1991 on the interprofessional organisation of sea fishing and marine farming and the organisation of shellfish farming.
• Decree no. 92-335 of 30 March 1992 laying down the rules for the organisation and operation of the Comité national des pêches maritimes and the regional and local committees (check for possible codification in the CRPM).  
• Law no. 97-1051 of 18 November 1997 on the orientation of maritime fishing and marine cultures (creation of CSO, OFIMER, rules governing fish trade).
• Code rural et de la pêche maritime (Legislative part, Book IX; Regulatory part, Book IX - potentially contains the codification of previous laws and decrees on professional organisation, FranceAgriMer).
• Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products (for POs).
• Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy (for Advisory Councils).