Commissioner Damanaki in Norway for meetings with national authorities and the fishing industry
Commissioner Maria Damanaki, in charge of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will meet Norvegian ministers and stakeholders during a two day visit to Norway starting Monday 17 October.
In Oslo, the Commissioner meets Minister of Environment and International Development Erik Solheim to discuss the approach of integrated maritime management plans, and she will discuss Arctic issues with Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, accompanied by Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen. Commissioner Damanaki then travels to Bergen for a series of meetings dedicated chiefly to fisheries issues. She will first meet the representatives of the Norwegian Coast Guard, and then visit the Directorate of Fisheries, to discuss the Norwegian seafood industry, sustainable fisheries management, sustainable aquaculture, discards policy and control issues. Afterwards, Ms Damanaki will address the issues related to scientific advice at the Institute for Marine Research, and will close the day with a meeting at the Pelagic Sales Organisation, to discuss, inter alia, the organisation's role in controlling fisheries through catch certificates.
On 18 October, Commissioner Damanaki will meet with Minister Berg-Hansen and visit the fishery community of Austevoll to learn about best practices in sustainable aquaculture and coastal planning.
Ahead of her visit, Commissioner Damanaki said: "Norway is our key partner. In the domain of fisheries, the EU has clearly opted for a science-based approach, and we look forward to reinforcing our bilateral cooperation. The EU Common Fisheries Policy is going through a radical change and we will be able to find common ground with Norway on a very large number of issues. We also want to further pursue our Arctic dialogue with Norway, and develop a solid cooperation agenda in that regard".