The European Fisheries Control Agency has adopted its Programming Document for 2018 in its Administrative Board meeting of 18 October 2017. The activities and required resources defined in the Programming Document serve as the necessary means to further strengthen EFCA's capacity in achieving its mission and tasks. It also implements the Administrative Board's recommendations drawn up by the second five-year evaluation for the years 2012-2017 that confirmed EFCA’s added value to the overall achievement of the Common Fisheries Policy, for an enhanced culture of compliance leading to more sustainable practices for the environment in the long-term.
The Programming Document confirms that the core mission of the Agency will continue to be enshrined in the coordination of Member States' control and inspection activities. This includes assisting them in the implementation of joint deployment plans (JDP), as well as developing harmonised and cost-effective methodologies for fisheries monitoring, control and surveillance.
Moreover, the delivery of EFCA's new tasks in the framework of the Coast Guard function, including fostering collaboration with both FRONTEX and EMSA, will remain high on the Agency's agenda. EFCA's active participation in multipurpose operations with those agencies will translate into a direct contribution to the Union fisheries control regime, as well as the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
EFCA's innovative contributions beyond EU borders will become even more apparent in the coming months with the full implementation of the cooperation project – PESCAO – with the purpose of increasing fisheries control activities through capacity building and trainings in West Africa, as well as with the follow-up actions to the pilot project for coordinating control activities in the Mediterranean in the context of GFCM.
“As a result, EFCA's work programme for 2018 will build upon its proven expertise in coordinating fisheries control as well as training and capacity building activities, thus contributing to a uniform and effective implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy, including in its external dimension,” said Pascal Savouret, Executive Director.