GFCM High-level Conference on MedFish4Ever initiatives: advances and renewed commitments (11-12 June 2019, Marrakech)
date: 14/06/2019
Two years down the road, on 11-12 June, a high-level conference under the umbrella of the FAO General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) gathered the Mediterranean states in Marrakech to review progress and renew their commitment to live up to the promises of the Declaration, while looking into the future challenges that this region is facing in pursuing sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
European Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Karmenu Vella reiterated the commitment of the EU to the goals of MedFish4Ever Declaration: “We are not looking at a short sprint, but at a marathon – requiring step after step of persistent effort, determination and dedication to the cause. The EU’s commitment to deliver on MedFish4Ever remains unabated, now and for the future, towards healthy stocks and a healthy marine environment, profitable fisheries and viable coastal communities. We owe it to our fish, we owe it to our fishers, and we owe it to our coastal communities. We have no choice other than ensuring the full implementation of MedFish4Ever to safeguard long-term environmental, economic and social sustainability of our fishers. The renewed pledge by 16 Mediterranean countries is testament to the commitment of the Juncker Commission to make progress in the region.”
MedFish4Ever has already changed the way we manage our fisheries. Commissioner Vella highlighted landmark achievements by the EU in the Mediterranean, such as the first multi-annual plan for demersal stocks in the Western Mediterranean, significant reduction of the fleet size, extending the implementation of specific control and inspection programmes to the Mediterranean and the Black Seas through joint deployment programmes, gradual elimination of discards, protection of sensitive species and habitats by establishing fishing restricted areas and marine protected areas [1].
16 Mediterranean countries confirmed their renewed commitments to reinforce efforts in key priorities: protection of marine resources, combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, strengthening the viability of coastal communities through the support to the small-scale fisheries prevailing in the region, ensuring decent working conditions and social protection of fishers, making fisheries more attractive to the young generation and giving equal recognition of the work of women, as well as building sustainable aquaculture and strengthening the value chain. All these commitments will require additional financial and human resources, as well as keeping up the exemplary cooperation and partnership among all the countries and among all the stakeholders in the region.
While identifying the future challenges and tools needed to tackle them, Commissioner Vella emphasized that the right priorities should be identified and words should be put into action, recalling that growth should be equitable (no growth can happen at the sacrifice of the other). “In addition to fighting the IUU fishing - the biggest threat which we are underestimating”, he noted that “the GFCM needs to support sustainable small-scale fisheries and aquaculture, invest further in scientific research, assess and manage recreational fisheries and address the effects of climate change”.
In order to raise awareness of one of the key challenges - the destructive effects of the IUU fishing on the Mediterranean fish stocks, fisheries economy and food security, 7 best practice cases implemented in the region were awarded. Among them, 3 EU projects were duly recognised: the pilot project in the Strait of Sicily coordinated by European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), the use of new digital technology in Croatian national Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) system, and a project under Interreg FishMPABlue 2 investigating IUU fishing in Marine Protected Areas. “The battle against IUU fishing has not been won yet. Cooperation is the key, together we can make the IUU fishing a thing of the past”, recalled Commissioner Vella.
Links
The Conference on MedFish4Evdr initiatives, 11-12 June, Marrakech
Malta #MedFish4Ever Ministerial Declaration
GFCM mid-term strategy 2017-2020
[1] The Cabrera National Park in Spain, the Jabuka / Pomo Pit fishing restricted area agreed by Italy and Croatia, spatial and temporal closures under joint agreement by Spain and France in the Gulf of Lion, to name just a few.