On the 23 October a meeting was held between the European Fisheries Control Agency and the Croatian Authorities in Split (Croatia) in order to establish a roadmap on their future cooperation in Fisheries control in view to the Croatian accession to the European Union in the next month of July 2013. Croatia will be the 28th Member State to be part of the European and Fisheries has a great socioeconomic importance for the country.
Several actions have been envisaged in order to assist Croatia in taking part of the European fisheries control activities from 1 July 2013. The participation of Croatia in the different structures of the EFCA such as the Bluefin tuna joint deployment plan has been agreed. In addition, other actions have been examined such as the possible exchange of data and inspectors, the provision of training on issues such as blue fin tuna in the Mediterranean or the EU control policy and the Croatian contribution to the core curricula which is being developed by the EFCA.
“Croatia is a crucial player in the Mediterranean and the EFCA is ready to welcome them in their work so that they can have an active part in the coordination activities that the EFCA carries out. A positive cooperation with Croatian Authorities will bring a great added value to the exchange of knowledge and best practice in fisheries control that EFCA fosters with a view of creating a culture of compliance of the Common Fisheries Policy,” said Pascal Savouret, Executive Director of the EFCA.