Fisheries remain a strategic pillar of the European Union’s food security and sustainability agenda, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Monday.

Addressing ministers from across the bloc during an agriculture and fisheries council in Luxembourg, Panayiotou commended the government for its efforts towards bolstering the fisheries sector.

“The council is sending the message that agriculture and fisheries remain strategic pillars for the food security and sustainability of the European Union,” she said.

Panayiotou said Cyprus had promoted amendments to regulations governing fishing opportunities during its six-month presidency, while also advancing international agreements aimed at strengthening the EU’s role in ocean governance.

She said discussions had also begun on the future of the common fisheries policy (CFP), including preparations for fishing opportunities in the next year and how the framework should adapt to changing environmental and economic conditions.

The debate comes as the commission reviews the effectiveness of the CFP and considers potential reforms in response to climate pressures as well as depleting fish stocks.

European fisheries commissioner Costas Kadis told ministers that the evaluation had identified both progress and shortcomings since the last major reform of the policy.

“The evaluation demonstrates that since the last reform of the CFP, progress has been made, with more fish stocks now being fished at sustainable levels,” Kadis said.

At the same time, he said, the review had drawn attention to certain weaknesses that would need to be addressed as member states shape the next phase of European fisheries management.

Kadis said ministers would begin discussions on fishing opportunities for the coming period while examining the challenges facing the sector across the EU.

“The aim is to ensure a sustainable and resilient fisheries sector, not only in the short term but also in the long term,” he said.

The commissioner has repeatedly identified pressures on marine ecosystems and fishing communities as key priorities during his mandate.

Speaking in Cyprus last month, Kadis described illegal and unregulated fishing as one of the most significant threats facing the Mediterranean and called for greater cooperation among countries in the region.