News

Denmark has established two Real Time Closures (RCT) in their waters of the Skagerrak :

Denmark has established a Real Time Closure (RCT) in their waters of the Skagerrak from the 11 to the 31 of January 2022, inclusive.

Further conditions governing fisheries during an RTC will apply: 

The area is closed for fishery except for the following gears: 

A new 5-year independent external evaluation of the European Fisheries Control Agency for the years 2017-2021 commenced on 26 November.

The evaluation will be conducted in line with the Evaluation Mandate and its Terms of Reference.

The key to the success of this evaluation is ensuring comprehensive feedback from all stakeholders to the benefit of EFCA´s whole community, therefore we would appreciate your involvement if you are contacted by the external evaluator.

From 20 to 25 November 2021, in the framework of the EU-funded Programme PESCAO, EFCA supported the joint control operation “Seydouba Camara” organised by the Subregional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), a regional fisheries body based in Dakar (Senegal) that brings together 7 Western African countries[1] to enhance the sustainable management of fisheries resources in the area.

The Administrative Board adopted the Single Programming Document (SPD), which contains the Multiannual work programme 2022- 2026 and the EFCA´s work programme for year 2022, and elected its Deputy Chair, Mr Yiannos Kyriacou, during its 37th meeting, which was held online for the fourth time.

European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičiusis visited EFCA´s headquarters in Vigo and meet the new Executive Director, Dr. Susan Steele. 

EFCA promotes the highest common standards for control under the Common Fisheries Policy, assisting Commissioner Sinkevičius with his mandate of contributing to the European Green Deal.

This day also marked the start of an exciting new chapter and a new voyage for the agency—the arrival of the new vessel means doubling the seagoing assets.

Under the umbrella of EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats) and the priority of Environmental Crime, during the week of 03-07 May 2021, a Joint Action Day (JAD) took place, in the framework of Operational Action (OA) on Illegal Fishing.

Yesterday the European Commission has adopted the recommendation establishing a ‘Practical Handbook’ on European cooperation on coast guard functions. The Handbook will be made available as an online platform operated by EFCA in close cooperation with EMSA, Frontex and the Commission and updated with Agencies’ and Member States information. It contains guidelines, recommendations and best practices for the exchange of information on coast guard functions.

The Annual European Coast Guard Event for 2021 under the theme of “Use of digital age technologies in Coast Guard functions” was held virtually on 29 June 2021. The event was hosted by EFCA at the end of its turn as chair of the tripartite cooperation in support of the European coast guard initiative with the other two maritime EU Agencies, EMSA and Frontex.

The Annual Event provides a platform for national authorities, the EU agencies involved and the European Commission to exchange views on matters related to cooperation on coast guard functions.