Search results
The JDPs are established for fisheries/areas that are considered a priority by the European Commission and the Member States concerned. They can refer either to European Union waters for which a Specific Control and Inspection Programme (SCIP) has been adopted by the Commission in concert with the Member States, or to International waters under the competence of a Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (RFMO), where EFCA is requested to coordinate the implementation of the European obligations under an International Control and Inspection Scheme.
The JDPs consist of three phases: planning, implementation and assessment:
Planning
EFCA JDPs are a year-round activity covering a wide range of fisheries with the permanent exchange of information and intelligence and control activities planned on the basis of risk assessment results. Member States assess the risks with regard to the stocks and areas in accordance with the regional risk assessment (RRA) methodology established in cooperation with EFCA.
The EFCA RRA aims for cost-efficient planning of future inspection activities and is used at three levels during the life cycle of JDPs:
- strategic planning — to facilitate long-term (yearly) spatial and temporal planning for deployment of control resources and identify specific objectives and actions of JDP campaigns;
- priority risk management — to identify priority fisheries and fleet segments under a specific threat analysis;
- work at operational level — to facilitate the exchange of best-practices and targets between different Member States on a short-term tactical level.
Implementation
The JDPs establish that the deployment of pooled national means is coordinated by EFCA in cooperation with the Member States and frequently with the presence of national coordinators at EFCA premises. It is implemented through two common groups:
- A Regional Steering Group (RSG) composed of Commission, Member States and EFCA representatives, that is in charge of ensuring the proper implementation of the plan.
- A Technical Joint Deployment Group (TJDG), composed of Member States and EFCA staff, that is in charge of follow-up daily the control activities and adopts the decision needed to guarantee an effective deployment of the means.
Assessment
EFCA assesses the effectiveness of the JDPs on the basis of performance indicators and benchmarks in a common evaluation in cooperation with the Member States, including the common reporting of joint control activities at regional level. The JDP annual assessment reports are sent to the European Parliament, the European Commission and Member States.
Through the JDPs, different elements to improve the control and inspection at a regional level are discussed and implemented. The Steering Group serves as a forum for discussion and exchange of best practices at a regional level. It includes the implementation at a regional level of projects concerning regional risk analysis, best practices for coordination and the optimum use of information tools, and the assessment of cost effectiveness of control operations.
A priority established by the EFCA multiannual work programme has been to support the uniform implementation of the LO. In close cooperation with the Member States and the European Commission, the EFCA strategy has been to approach the implementation of the LO from different angles to maximise the use of the main coordination tool (JDPs) in order to develop regional approaches to implement the landing obligation, and to work closely with the regional bodies created by the Member States in order to promote the adoption of decisions facilitating control in all the areas.
In this regard, EFCA cooperation with Member States to support the regional implementation of the LO consists mainly in the following undertakings.
A. Using JDPs to obtain regional indicators and implement the risk assessment and evaluation.
These comprise the following analyses:
a. Last haul
b. Gramme size
c. Grade size.
These activities have been encompassed within the control and inspection effort and sea inspections by introducing specific objectives in the relevant JDPs. The provisional results of the project are disseminated to the Member State regional groups and are used for the preparation of regional risk analysis in the different areas to identify the major risks of non-compliance with the landing obligation.
B. Cooperating with all formally constituted regional bodies created by Member States through the PACT approach (Partnership, Accountability (compliance), Cooperation and Transparency)
The PACT approach allows assistance to the MS in accordance with Articles 7 and 15 of EFCA’s founding regulation. EFCA also facilitates inter-regional cooperation on horizontal issues in order to promote uniform implementation and a level playing field across regions.
C. Supporting the dialogue with stakeholders on the implementation of the LO
EFCA staff participate in the different fora where the LO is discussed (advisory councils, STECF, other scientific and research seminars, etc.). EFCA also support the organisation of joint meetings with regional Member State groups and stakeholders.
Regulation (EU) 2019/473 on the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA’s Founding Regulation) is in force since 14 April 2019. In the interests of clarity, EFCA’s Founding Regulation of 2005 was replaced by a codified text, which incorporates the initial Founding Regulation and subsequent amendments as listed below:
- EFCA was established by Council Regulation (EC) No 768/2005 of 26 April 2005 and later amended by Council Regulation (EC) 1224/2009.
- In 2016, Regulation (EU) 2016/1626 of the European Parliament and of the Council introduced a second amendment aimed at increasing European cooperation on coast guard functions, as well as to strengthen cooperation at EU and international level between EFCA, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
- In 2024, new amendments have been introduced by Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council with landmark changes widening the mission and the activities of the Agency. In addition, as from 2024, EFCA’s Union inspectors have been given powers to conduct inspections in the Economic Exclusive Zone of EU Member States. Besides, as from 2024, the European Parliament may appoint one member and one alternate to the Administrative Board, without the right to vote.
The seat of EFCA is Vigo, Spain, as established in Article 27(4) of EFCA’s Founding Regulation.
Background
In the wake of the 2002 Common Fisheries Policy reform, European Union governments deemed necessary to establish the Agency in an effort to build a culture of compliance within the fisheries sector across Europe. The new permanent structure was to ensure the coordination of inspection and control activities by the Member States and to assist them to cooperate so as to comply with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy. The European Fisheries Control Agency was the result of this need.
Relevant legal instruments
- Regulation (EU) 2023/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 November 2023
- Regulation (EU) 2019/473 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 March 2019 on the European Fisheries Control Agency
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 404/2011 of 8 April 2011 laying down detailed rules for the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy.
- Council Regulation (EC) No 1224/2009 of 20 November 2009 establishing a Community control system for ensuring compliance with the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy.
- Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
EFCA Legal Repository in the international dimension
The information on this site is subject to a disclaimer, a copyright and a personal data protection clause.
Disclaimer
Our goal is to keep this information timely and accurate. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them.
However, the EFCA accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever with regard to the material on this site.
This material is:
- information of a general nature only and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity;
- not necessarily comprehensive, complete, accurate or up to date;
- sometimes linked to external sites over which the Agency services have no control and for which the Agency assumes no responsibility;
- not professional or legal advice (if you need specific advice, you should always consult a suitably qualified professional).
Please note that it cannot be guaranteed that a document available on-line exactly reproduces an officially adopted text. Only European Union legislation published in paper editions of the Official Journal of the European Union is deemed authentic.
It is our goal to minimise disruption caused by technical errors. However, some data or information on our site may have been created or structured in files or formats that are not error-free and we cannot guarantee that our service will not be interrupted or otherwise affected by such problems. The Agency accepts no responsibility with regard to such problems incurred as a result of using this site or any linked external site.
This disclaimer is not intended to limit the liability of the Agency in contravention of any requirements laid down in applicable law nor to exclude its liability for matters which may not be excluded under that law.
Despite all our efforts, we have not yet succeeded in identifying the authors and rights holders for some of the images.
If you believe that you may be a rights holder, we invite you to contact the EFCA.
Copyright notice
© European Fisheries Control Agency, 2005-2022
Reproduction is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged, except where otherwise stated.
Where prior permission must be obtained for the reproduction or use of textual and multimedia information (sound, images, software, etc.), such permission shall cancel the above mentioned general permission and indicate clearly any restrictions on use.
Audiovisual Material
Audiovisual material available on this website is offered free of charge for EU-related information and education purposes.
For any other use, prior clearance must be obtained from the EFCA.
In no case may this material be sold or rented.
N.B.
Audiovisual material available on this website may be edited for EU information and education purposes.
Pictures containing buildings and artworks may only be used to meet the needs of current news coverage.
Social Media
The EFCA Twitter account is managed by the EFCA Information and Communication Sector and is used for information purposes only.
The EFCA follows some Twitter users. However, being followed by the EFCA does not imply endorsement of any kind. The EFCA reserves the right to not reply individually to messages or comments received on Twitter.
The use of Twitter by the EFCA, including the Twitter hyperlink, does not in any way imply endorsement of Twitter and/or its Privacy Policy. Twitter may occasionally be unavailable and the EFCA accepts no responsibility for lack of service due to Twitter downtime.
The EFCA recommends that users read the Twitter Privacy Policy (https://twitter.com/privacy). This explains Twitter's policy of data collection and processing, the use of data by Twitter and includes a list of users' rights and the ways in which they can protect their privacy when using Twitter.
EFCA Information Security
You may read EFCA Information Security summarised policy.
As a necessary and strategic step, in the field of Information Security EFCA started the implementation of an Information Security Management System (ISMS) (following the international standard of ISO 27000 series), that is a system of processes and procedures that helps in managing the controls in place for all security practices, consistently and costeffectively.
In the ‘News and media’ section, you will be able to follow upcoming events organised by the EFCA and read the latest information on the EFCA’s activities. If you would like to receive the updates from the EFCA’s website in your mailbox, you can subscribe to the EFCA newsletter and if you are a journalist, you can download the publications and audiovisual material from the ‘Media kits’ section.
EFCA coordinates the implementation of the specific control and inspection programme (SCIP) established for fisheries exploiting ICCAT species in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea and for certain demersal and pelagic fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea[1]. The encompassing objective of EFCA’s assistance to the Member States concerned is to ensure the uniform and effective implementation of conservation and control measures applicable to the fisheries[2] covered by the SCIP in this region.
In order to meet this objective, EFCA adopted, in cooperation with the Member States concerned, a dedicated organisational framework for operational coordination of inspection and surveillance activities in the Mediterranean Sea area, known as the Joint Deployment Plan (JDP).
The Mediterranean JDP has been operative since 2008, covering essentially the Eastern Atlantic bluefin tuna until 2014, and onwards, extended to other species in the Mediterranean. This JDP has the active participation of Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain. Each year, the EFCA coordinates the planning, implementation and assessment of the Mediterranean Sea joint campaign at regional level, aimed at ensuring compliance with the conservation and control measures in force, including the ones foreseen under ICCAT and GFCM.
On basis of an assessment of risks of non-compliance with the applicable measures, the Mediterranean Sea Steering Group elaborates an annual strategy for the implementation of joint inspection and surveillance activities to the relevant fisheries, which the Executive Director of EFCA adopts in a JDP Decision. The operational arrangements are developed and followed up by the Mediterranean Technical Joint Deployment Group (TJDG), which involves close collaboration with the fisheries inspection authorities of the Member States concerned.
The operational arrangements also cover regular exchanges of inspectors to mixed and joint inspection teams, ashore and at sea respectively. The work of mixed and joint inspection teams brings the most tangible evidence of a uniform and effective implementation of inspection and surveillance activities. In addition, specific teams can be mobilised on bluefin tuna farms during the caging activities and in periods of increased activities. On a regular basis, joint coordination teams are established at the EFCA Coordination Centre, bringing together experts from EFCA and Member States for the operational coordination of the joint campaign.
Joint control and inspection activities conducted under the JDP are exhaustive and cover fishing and fishing-related activities including farming, weighing, processing, marketing, transport and storage of fisheries products and sport and recreational fisheries.
Furthermore, EFCA pays special attention to the development and application of standardisation and best practices in all aspects of inspection and surveillance operations. To this end, the EFCA works closely with the Member States concerned in various experts groups, at seminars for staff of fisheries monitoring centres and at workshops for inspectors. Inspection checklists and common procedures are also developed to ensure the harmonisation of inspection procedures. An additional level of assistance is provided by EFCA on missions to Member States concerned, and on the missions of the EFCA chartered Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV).
The Mediterranean JDP organisational arrangements guarantee a high level of transparency, uniformity and effectiveness of joint inspection and surveillance activities through the establishment of permanent exchanges of data and operational information, the application of risk management strategy at regional levels and close cooperation of the Member States concerned in the enforcement of conservation and control measures in force.
[1] Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1986 of 13 December 2018 establishing specific control and inspection programmes for certain fisheries and repealing Implementing Decisions 2012/807/EU, 2013/328/EU, 2013/305/EU and 2014/156/EU
[2] Fisheries covered by the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean JDP, concerned those exploiting:
Stocks of bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean (including recreational fisheries),
Swordfish in the Mediterranean (including recreational fisheries),
Albacore in the Mediterranean,
Sardine and anchovy in the Northern and Southern Adriatic,
European hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Strait of Sicily and in GFCM subareas 1, 5, 6, 7 and 9, 10, 11 and in the Northern Adriatic and Southern Adriatic,
Deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris) in the Strait of Sicily, and in GFCM subareas 1, 5, 6 and 9, 10, 11 and in the Northern Adriatic and Southern Adriatic,
Deep-sea shrimps in the Levant and Ionian Sea,
Blue and red shrimp (Aristeus antennatus) in GFCM subareas 1, 5, 6, 7 and in the Strait of Sicily,
Giant red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea) in GFCM subareas 9, 10, 11 and in the Strait of Sicily,
Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) in GFCM subareas 5, 6, 9, 11 and in the Northern Adriatic and Southern Adriatic,
Red mullet (Mullus barbatus) in GFCM subareas 1, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and in the Northern Adriatic and Southern Adriatic,
Blackspot seabream in the Alboran Sea,
Common sole in in GFCM subarea 17,
Red coral in the Mediterranean,
Dolphinfish fisheries in the international waters of the Mediterranean,
European eel of the species Anguilla anguilla in Union waters of the Mediterranean,
Species under the landing obligation pursuant to Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.
Find below the 2014 reports of the campaigns in the Mediterranean.
Mediterranean Joint Deployment Plan 2014-2018 (Campaign 2014) Participants: Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain | ||
No. | Reporting period | Joint campaign report |
1. | 1 January to 31 December 2014 | 12 months |
Advisory Board Members
See the list of Advisory Board Members
(Declarations of interests and CVs can be found inside the link to the respective names)
Advisory Councils | Representative | Deputy representative |
AQUACULTURE AC (AAC) | Mr Brian Thomsen CV | Mr Paul Denekamp CV Mr Philippe Le Gal CV |
BALTIC SEA AC (BSAC) | Mr Jaroslaw Mariusz ZIELINSKI CV | Mr Glenn DOUGLAS CV |
BLACK SEA (BISAC) | Mr Daniel BUHAI CV | Mr Yordan GOSPODINOV CV |
LONG DISTANCE AC (LDAC) | Mr Julien Daudu CV | Mr Iván López van der Veen CV |
MARKET (MAC) | Mr Daniel VOCES de ONAINDI CV | Mr Guus PASTOOR CV |
MEDITERRANEAN AC (MEDAC) | Mr Antonio Marzoa Notlevsen CV | Ms Rosa CAGGIANO CV |
NORTH SEA AC (NSAC) | Mr Kenn Skau FISCHER CV | Ms Tamara Talevska CV |
NORTH WESTERN WATERS AC (NWWAC) | Mr Emiel Brouckaert CV | Mr Irene Prieto CV |
OUTERMOST REGIONS AC (ORAC/ CCRUP) | Ms Daniela COSTA CV (acting) | Mr David Pavón González CV |
PELAGIC AC (PelAC) | Mr Sean O'Donoghue CV | Mr José M. F. BELTRAN CV |
SOUTH WESTERN AC (SWWAC) | Mr Sergio López CV | Ms Chloé Pocheau CV |
(*) TBD: To be determined
Pagination
- First page
- Previous page
- …
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- …
- Next page
- Last page