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The EFCA strategy to support regionalisation includes developing regional approaches and working closely with the regional bodies created by the Member States in order to promote in particular the uniform implementation of the Landing Obligation (LO) and also the adoption of decisions facilitating control in all the areas.
In this regard, EFCA cooperates through the PACT approach (Partnership, Accountability (compliance), Cooperation and Transparency) with all formally constituted regional bodies created by the Member States. The PACT approach allows assistance to the Member States in accordance with Articles 7 and 15 of EFCA’s founding regulation.
EFCA cooperates with four Control Expert Groups (CEGs) active in the framework of the regionalisation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP):
- Scheveningen (North Sea);
- BALTFISH (Baltic Sea);
- North-western waters;
- South-western waters.
Support for these regional bodies, through cooperation with the CEGs, is framed around the following subjects:
- Compliance evaluation in the context of the LO;
- Preparation for the implementation of REM in fisheries control;
- Standardisation and guidelines;
- Cooperation with industry to promote compliance.
In addition to these main areas around which cooperation is organised, EFCA gives the CEGs support in their work of developing recommendations to the respective High Level Groups (HLG) on control and monitoring of the LO. EFCA also facilitates interregional cooperation by organising and chairing joint CEG meetings on horizontal issues in order to promote a uniform implementation and a level playing field across regions.
In relation to this regional cooperation work EFCA staff participate in the different fora where the LO is discussed (Advisory Councils, STECF (Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries), scientific organisms, research projects, etc.) and organises joint workshops between Member State regional groups and stakeholders.
To give effect to its coordination duties and legal obligations, the EFCA supports Member States in designing training programmes on fisheries control and inspection. A priority in the development of such training programmes is to create and make available reference materials for the training of the trainers of the fisheries inspectorates and of Union inspectors before their first deployment, the core curricula.
Essentially, the core curricula consist of a number of basic courses of practical knowledge for national fisheries officials involved in the control and inspection of fishing vessels and their activities. In the strive towards a level playing field among Member States and between the operators in the fishing community throughout the EU, a common core curricula for the conduct of inspections is key.
Below you can find the published core curricula courses:
Student handbooks
- Core curriculum for the training of fisheries inspectors - 1 Inspection at sea (updated version 2017)
- Core curriculum for the training of fisheries inspectors - 2 Port inspection:
- Core curriculum for the training of fisheries inspectors and Union inspectors - 3 General principles
EFCA ensures that good quality data is available for the planning, risks assessment, implementation and evaluation of joint deployment plans (JDPs), facilitating the data exchanges between EFCA and EU Member States or regional fisheries management organisations. EFCA also coordinates the collection and analysis of information systems’ related requirements, providing assistance with data analysis, on an ad hoc basis, developing some reporting tools used for risk analysis, compliance indicators and data quality monitoring.
EFCA also collaborates with the European Commission (DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) in the definition and implementation of standards for the exchange of fishery activity and fishery control data.
Integration of the different systems is currently a key challenge as part of the implementation of the agency’s data governance framework, which will contribute to improving data quality and capacity to deliver a service to end-users.
Dr. Susan Steele wurde vom Verwaltungsrat als Direktorin der Agentur ernannt und trat ihr Amt am 1 September 2021 an.
Sie begrüßt Sie auf der Website der EFCA, wo Sie die wichtigsten Informationen über die Tätigkeiten der Agentur und die Entwicklungen ihrer Arbeit finden, und wünscht Ihnen viel Spaß beim Lesen.
Biografie
Dr. Steele stammt aus Irland und hat einen soliden Hintergrund in Fischereimanagement und -kontrolle. Sie war seit 2013 Vorstandsvorsitzende und Geschäftsführerin der irischen Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. Davor war Sie von 2009 bis 2013 Leiterin der Innovation im Seafood Development Centre und Leiterin Aquaculture und Business Training im irischen Seafood Development Board von 2006 bis 2009. Sie hat einen Doktortitel der National University of Ireland, einen MBA, einen Master in Education (M.Ed) und einen Bachelor in Meeresbiologie.
The ‘Activities’ section contains the most relevant and up-to-date information on the core activities carried out by the EFCA. It is divided into three sections through which you can navigate to find out about the EFCA’s operational work. The three sections are:
EFCA celebrated its 32nd Administrative Board meeting and adopted its Annual Report for 2018. 2018 was a year of intense activity, marking the tenth anniversary of the EFCA in Spain (Vigo). Throughout last year, EFCA combined its core tasks of operational coordination and fisheries control with its contribution to the EU Coast Guard cooperation. These were the main highlights:
The level of inspection activity coordinated by EFCA increased last year. In 2018, the cooperative efforts have led to 26,922 coordinated inspections, an increase in comparison to 2017 (20,956), and 714 suspected infringements detected, a decrease compared to 2017 (833). Non-compliance with recording obligations and technical measures remain the most frequent type of infringements detected in the context of the Joint Deployment Plans.
EFCA has concluded in cooperation with Member States guidelines for risk assessment and compliance indicators, providing a better basis for a more effective planning and assessment of control and monitoring operations. The priority risks for non-compliance were identified in accordance with these methodologies. In particular, a joint exercise with the Member States on risk assessment of non-compliance with the Landing Obligation; mis-recording of catches and illegal gears was conducted for all areas.
In relation to efforts to promote an effective and efficient implementation of the Landing Obligation, EFCA, at the request of the Control Expert Groups and the European Commission, created a Technical Working Group (TWG) focusing on the definition of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) systems requirements and technical guidelines to monitor the implementation of the LO across EU waters.
Concerning the support to national authorities in coast guard functions, EFCA hosted the first Annual European Coast Guard event in La Toja, Spain. The event brought together the three agencies’ Administrative Board members and related experts to identify potential areas of synergy and future cooperative activities among the agencies in support of Member States performing coast guard functions. The cooperation with the other European agencies EMSA and Frontex to support Member States national authorities carrying out coast guard functions, is reflected in the fact that the EFCA chartered means, when operating in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea, were also available for multipurpose operations in cooperation with EMSA and Frontex,
Regarding the international dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy, EFCA has assisted the European Union in cooperating with developing countries and with international fisheries organisations to help to combat illegal fishing. In 2018, the five-year EU funded development project PESCAO kicked off, including a component aiming at improving the fight against Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing activities in Western Africa, contributing to sustainable fisheries management and the reduction of food insecurity in the region. As part of this project, EFCA provides technical assistance to the Regional Bodies and thirteen countries in the area.
Moreover, EFCA assisted the Commission to cooperate with third countries and international organisations dealing with fisheries such as the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (NAFO, NEAFC, ICCAT and GFCM), to strengthen the operational coordination and compliance. In line with point 40 of the MEDFISH4EVER Declaration, EFCA has continued to cooperate with third countries in the Mediterranean to promote an effective level playing field in the area. The cooperation in the Strait of Sicily involving the Mediterranean Member States was implemented in cooperation with Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Algeria. The agency coordinated an enhanced cooperation involving Romania and Bulgaria with Ukraine, Turkey and Georgia in the Black Sea.
Another important area in EFCA’s work is training, as a capacity building tool. A total of 1,496 inspectors and experts from EU and third countries were trained by EFCA. EFCA through participation in training events and through e-learning.
In relation to EFCA’s information systems, these enabled the collection of data from each Member State providing details of their fishing vessels, catches and other such information. Overall, EFCA exchanged Electronic Reporting System-logbook data from 3,557 vessels. The volume of Vessel Monitoring Vessels (VMS) messages exchanged by the EFCA VMS increased by 13.7% from 2017 reaching 34.7 million messages.
"The EFCA granted an effective and robust support to the Member States and the Commission for the implementation of the control regime applying to the Common Fisheries Policy encompassing the fight against IUU fishing, ranging from the coordination of the Joint Deployment Plans to Earth Observation technologies including development of standardised methodologies, training and capacity building. Moreover, the assistance to the Union in the international dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy increased as the cooperation with the EMSA and Frontex in the framework of the EU cooperation on Coast Guard intensified, “said Pascal Savouret, EFCA Executive Director.