During the morning of next Friday, 15 March 2024, one of the three EFCA offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), the Ocean Protector, will open its doors to authorities invited to the 20th anniversary of the North Western Waters Advisory Council and the Pelagic Advisory Council.
The OPV Ocean Protector is one of the three inspection platforms chartered by the European Fisheries Control Agency. It is operational all year round as a fisheries patrol vessel to support Member States in the different EFCA´s joint deployment plans. The vessel is deployed in the scope of multipurpose operations in the framework of European cooperation on coast guard functions. The vessel, during its operations, is available for supporting other coast guard functions, inter alia, providing support during search and rescue situations, maritime surveillance and pollution response.
Its deployment enhances the EU capacity to improve the effectiveness of fisheries control operations in the EU and beyond.
The celebration of the 20-year anniversary event of the North Western Waters Advisory Council and the Pelagic Advisory Council takes place on 14 March with an event in which the advisory councils will look back over the past 20 years of existence and the role of stakeholder voices in European fisheries´ governance. During the event there will be a dialogue between stakeholders and decision makers on the potential of the regionalisation process to address challenges ahead and on the future of stakeholder participation in reaching the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy.
Summary of the technical data of the vessels
• It is a Multi-Role Emergency Response and Rescue Vessels (ERRV) with overall length of 62 meters.
• It has a Dynamic Position System to better maintain their position and balance the environmental forces such as wind, waves and currents during the duty while reducing fuel consumption to a minimum.
• It is fully equipped with ergonomic and modern onboard facilities to ensure a comfortable stay and an enjoyable working environment during the patrols.
Background
EFCA is a European Union agency that promotes the highest common standards for the control, inspection and surveillance under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). EFCA was established to organise operational coordination activities by the Member States and to assist them to cooperate so as to comply with the rules in order to ensure its effective and uniform application.
The added value of the work of the agency lies in its contribution to sustainable fisheries by enhancing compliance with conservation and management measures and to a European-wide level playing field for the fishing industry.
