The European Fisheries Control Agency and the European Environment Agency have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve the exchange of expertise and relevant information between the two EU Agencies. The cooperation will enhance the coordination and implementation of their activities and to ensure the promotion of joint activities.
The areas of particular interest for cooperation between include information and expertise sharing, with a view to exchange information and build knowledge, e.g. on multiple pressures and cumulative impacts of maritime activities, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), risk assessment, zero pollution and marine litter.
The cooperation also caters for the implementation of operational pilot projects at sea in areas of common interest, as the project dedicated to marine litter, and particularly, the monitoring, retrieval, collection, and recycling of abandoned or lost fishing gear in designated maritime areas.
While no delegation or transfer of any task or responsibilities will be made from one agency to the other, this memorandum of understanding comes in an important moment in which the Commission has issued the Fisheries and Oceans Pact towards sustainable, science-based, innovative and inclusive fisheries management.
