The European Commission is looking to turn emerging ocean energy technologies like tidal and wave power into "another European success story", replicating the spectacular uptake of offshore wind, Commissioner Karmenu Vella has said. The Commissioner was speaking at the third annual Offshore Energy and Storage conference in Malta.
The Commission has proposed to lift the "red card" and the associated trade measures for fisheries products from the Republic of Guinea, following significant improvements to its national fisheries governance to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
The European Commission has adopted new, simpler rules for data collection in the fisheries sector for the period 2017-2020, making it easier for fishermen and Member States to comply with EU rules.
On July 15, in a seminar on the status of European fish stocks and on the economic situation of European fishing fleets, the Commission will be hearing the views of the fishing sector, scientific organisations, NGOs, national administrations and other members of the public, i.e. all those concerned with the EU's fisheries legislation.
Fisheries in the South Indian Ocean are set to become more sustainable after members of the South Indian Ocean Fisheries Agreement (SIOFA) adopted a series of conservation measures in La Reunion last week. The measures reflect the European Union's push for better managed fisheries resources in the region.
The European Union continues to push for sound stewardship of Arctic waters, participating last week in the second round of international talks that aim to prevent unregulated fisheries in the Arctic high seas. The meeting took place between 6 and 8 July in Iqaluit, Province of Nunavut, Canada.
On Friday 8 July Commissioner Vella will be in Ostend for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission and the Flanders' Department for Economy, Science and Innovation. The Commission and the Flanders's authorities agreed to host the Secretariat of the European Marine Observation and Data Network, or EMODNet, in Ostend.
The European Commission welcomes the decisive action taken by EU legislators on coastguard cooperation and maritime border control.
The Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) ended on 1st July in La Jolla, California. While no measures were adopted for the management of Tropical Tuna and for the conservation of Bluefin Tuna, good progress was made on shark conservation and on Fishing Aggregating Devices (FADs) management.
On 29 June 2016 the Council of Fisheries Ministers and the European Parliament reached a political agreement to amend the rules currently in force for cod stocks (a long-term plan, also known as the cod recovery plan, which has been in force since 2008).
The European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission today reached an agreement on how to better protect deep-sea fish, sponges and corals while maintaining the viability of the European fishing industry. The agreement brings the EU rules on deep-sea fisheries, which date back to 2003, in line with the sustainability targets enshrined in the EU's reformed Common Fisheries Policy.
The 16th Session of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) was held in Gosier (Guadeloupe, France) from 20-24 June 2016. It was attended by representatives from 28 member countries, including the European Commission for the European Union, as well as observers from sub-regional fisheries organisations, cooperation agencies and civil society.
Commissioner Vella gave the EU Fisheries Ministers a preview of the fishing limits to be applied in 2017. He stressed that our fisheries are making good progress towards sustainable management, but nevertheless we must keep up the effort to be able to comply with our common objectives and deadlines. The Ministers confirmed their commitment to move slowly but surely towards sustainable fishing levels.
The Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place in Luxembourg on 27 and 28 June 2016. The Commission will be represented by Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella and Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis.
In preparation for the setting of the 2017 fishing opportunities later this year, the Commission has published its Communication on the annual public consultation.
In preparation for the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EU, where Member States' ministers will agree on fishing quotas for 2017, the Commission has adopted a Communication that sets out its principles for healthy and profitable fisheries in the EU.
How do EU Member States plan to use the money they are set to receive under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)? What is the current state of play? This was the topic of an exchange of views at the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee today.
Last week the Commission published its annual report on the capacity of the EU fleet. The report contains an overview of fleet reports and action plans prepared by the individual Member States on the basis of Commission's guidelines.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, and Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Kistion, opened today in Odessa a high-level stakeholder conference entitled “Conference on the blue economy of the Black Sea: Towards better integration”.
The 33rd meeting of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) took place between 7 and 10 June in Bad Neuenahr Ahrweiler (Germany).
