The 15th session of the biannual meeting of the FAO Subcommittee on Fish Trade took place in Agadir (Morocco) from 22-25 February 2016. FAO members discussed topics of special significance to the foreign trade of fisheries, including catch document schemes, trade in fisheries services and traceability.
Press Release
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, today met the heads of Europe's top marine research institutes in a bid to create new momentum in marine and ocean research.
The European Commission and ICES - the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea - have agreed on the work programme for 2016.
The European Commission, Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has launched a public consultation as part of the 2007-2013 ESF (European Social Fund) 2013 ex-post evaluation tο receive feedback from the public on the effectiveness and efficiency of the EFF (European Fisheries Fund) Operational Programmes and their impact.
A seminar organised by the European Commission in Brussels brought together national and European policymakers, scientists, fishing industry representatives and other stakeholders to discuss first experiences with the implementation of the landing obligation. Speakers focused on lessons learnt and next steps.
Ocean energy is a batch of hugely promising technologies that could replicate the successes of offshore wind, EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella said today. Speaking at the International Conference on Ocean Energy in Edinburgh, Commissioner Vella stressed the European Commission's strong backing for ocean energy, an industry "destined for success". He also encouraged participants to contribute to the work of the Ocean Energy Forum, set up by the Commission in 2014.
Predators themselves, many sharks today are under threat. At the second Meeting of the Signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks (Sharks MoU), held from 15-19 February in San José, Costa Rica, the Signatories agreed to include 22 additional shark and ray species under the MoU, reflecting the need to strengthen measures to improve or restore a favourable conservation status of these sharks.
The Commission today announced the start of the functioning of three new Advisory Councils for: Aquaculture, Markets and the Black Sea.
European Commissioner Karmenu Vella, responsible for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, is at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome today to discuss sustainable fisheries and ocean governance. Earlier today the Commissioner paid a visit to the headquarters of the Mediterranean fisheries management organisation GFCM. The critical condition of many Mediterranean fish stocks was a key topic.
In Brussels today Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Karmenu Vella will be presenting to the agriculture and fisheries sections of the Council of the European Union a Commission's proposal on the sustainable management of external fishing fleets. The presentation will be followed by an exchange of views with the Ministers.
Fisheries, aquaculture and maritime projects in the UK are one step closer to receiving support from the EU's European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), following the official EMFF launch event in Poole this week. The UK is set to receive €243 million of EU funds for the period 2014-2020.
Fish stocks in the Mediterranean have been declining for decades. Over 90% of the fish stocks assessed are over-exploited, and despite recent efforts the situation is not improving. Managing fish stocks is complicated by the fact that many of them are shared with non-EU countries.
A new series of advisory seminars about using financial instruments (such as loans, bank guarantees, venture capital and other equity instruments) in the European Structural and Investment Funds is now open for registration.
To manage our EU fisheries well, we need sound data, analysis and advice, both biological and economic. How do we make sure that the data on which we build our fisheries policies and management decisions are timely, accurate and indeed relevant? A European Commission conference, underway in Malta today and tomorrow, is addressing this question by looking into the issues surrounding economic advice in fisheries management.
What can the EU do to promote the sustainable use of seas and oceans and preserve internationally shared marine resources? How can it help secure the conditions of sustainable blue growth? European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella today announced the results of a European Commission consultation on international ocean governance which took place from June to October 2015, alongside a 'listening tour' with stops in Portugal, Ireland, Malta, the United States, Norway, Chile, Spain and France, among others.
In fixing the fishing opportunities for 2016 for the Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea, the Council confirmed the gradual transition to sustainable fishing that the EU initiated years ago and then formalized in the now two-year-old Common Fisheries Policy.
In Brussels today, the Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the European Commission, Mr João Aguiar Machado, is meeting with the Fisheries Secretaries of State of Spain, Mr Andrés Hermida Trastoy and Portugal, Mr José Apolinário.
At its annual meeting, held from 25-29 January in Valdivia, Chile, the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) adopted a series of important conservation and enforcement measures demonstrating its commitment to sustainable fisheries in the region.
Climate change is having a profound effect on the Arctic. As the Arctic ice melts and the region is seeing increasing economic development, how are the 400 000 indigenous peoples that are living in the Arctic coping with these changes?
EMD 2016 Conference will be held in Turku, Finland, on 18 and 19 May 2016. If you cannot participate you may organise your own EMD event elsewhere in EU.