Press releases/news articles

Coastal development and sustainable maritime tourism were the focus themes of this year's edition of European Maritime Day. For two days in Valletta, Malta, experts from all maritime sectors and from all over Europe discussed how to drive the tourism industry forward and maintain its position not only as a sector for sustainable growth, but also as a crucial driver for the wider economy and a key contributor to the EU's Blue Growth agenda.

Coastal development and sustainable maritime tourism are the focus themes of this year's edition of European Maritime Day.

The European Commission has notified the fisheries authorities of the Faroe Islands of its intention to adopt measures in support of the sustainability of herring fisheries shared with the Faroe Islands.

Ministers have adopted a revised mandate to facilitate the next stage of negotiations between the Irish Presidency and the European Parliament on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and EU Commissioner for maritime affairs and fisheries, Maria Damanaki made today the following statement..

The European Union and the Republic of the Seychelles initialed on 10 May a new Protocol to the EU-Seychelles Fisheries Partnership Agreement.

What does the Action Plan contain? The Action Plan contains four overarching priorities..

The European Commission has adopted an Action Plan to revitalise the marine and maritime economy in the Atlantic Ocean Area.

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), the Regional Fisheries Management Organisation responsible for managing tuna and tuna like species in the Indian Ocean, concluded its annual plenary session on Friday 10 May 2013 in Grande Baie, Mauritius, after five days of discussions, which were preceded by three meeting days dedicated to compliance issues.

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) is meeting for its Annual session in Split, Croatia until 18 May 2013.

For the sixth year, the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) coordinates the Joint Deployment Plan (JDP) for the Blue Fin Tuna fishery in the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Atlantic waters for 2013.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting of May will take place in Brussels on 13th and 14th May 2013, under the presidency of Mr Simon Coveney, Irish Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

To boost the development of EU aquaculture, the European Commission has issued strategic guidelines, thereby cooperating with Member States and stakeholders in overcoming the challenges facing the sector.

What are the reasons for promoting aquaculture? Aquaculture can bring safe, healthy and sustainable seafood on our tables, and help us fight overfishing. The global consumption of seafood is constantly increasing,...

The European Union and Gabon initialled on 24 April a new Protocol to the EU-Gabon Fisheries Partnership Agreement.

Today, Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries visited the annual Brussels Seafood Exhibition, where she launched the new online European Market Observatory for Fishery and Aquaculture Products (EUMOFA).

The Fisheries Council met in Luxembourg on 22nd April, where an exchange of views took place on the Common Fisheries Policy's Basic Regulation. Discussions centred on three questions put by the Irish Presidency to Ministers: (1) agreement on the time line to conclude negotiations with EP, with the aim to achieve political agreement by the summer; (2) margins for flexibility on key issues (MSY, discard ban, regionalization, fleet capacity management); (3) how to address the institutional issues related to multi-annual plans.

Tourism, as one of the most resilient sectors of the economy, will be a central theme at this year’s European Maritime Day Conference to be held in Valletta on 21 and 22 May 2013.

The European Fisheries Control Agency has presented the new tools to develop a culture of compliance in a reformed Common Fisheries Policy at the European Parliament today. Indeed, in the context of the new policy being designed, the EFCA, within its mandate, is ready to contribute to the success of the new CFP and the key features of regionalisation and discard ban and develop the necessary tools.

Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will attend the annual Brussels Seafood Exhibition on 24 April.