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The CFCA has adopted its annual report for 2009 at the meeting of the Administrative Board held on the 18th of March. The annual report illustrates all the activities carried out by the CFCA in its first full year at its seat in Vigo and with 98% execution of its budget. Moreover, at the meeting, the Board discussed the Preliminary Work Programme of 2011, the preliminary draft budget and the outline for a multiannual work programme.
"The results shown in the Annual Report of 2009 speak by themselves. I am fully confident that this new spirit of cooperation and enthusiasm at European level will deliver progressively compliance, in the interest of a profitable fishing industry that provides safe nutritious food for our citizens from a healthy marine environment," said Serge Beslier, Chairman of the CFCA Administrative Board.
2009 results
Operational coordination of control, inspection and surveillance activities by Member States in relation to recovery measures for depleted stocks has been the first priority for the CFCA. Compliance with recovery measures applicable to stocks of cod in the Baltic and North Sea areas, the eastern Atlantic blue fin tuna and regulated species in the NAFO and NEAFC Regulatory Areas have been the focus of the Agency's work in 2009. In particular, six Joint Deployment Plans (JDP's), giving effect to Specific Control and Inspection Programmes adopted by the Commission and RFMO Schemes for joint international inspection and surveillance, have been adopted and implemented by the CFCA. As result, the level of control, inspection and surveillance activities carried out under these JDP's has increased significantly.
The CFCA has worked closely together with Member States and the Commission. All joint activities have been planned and implemented on the basis of joint risk analysis, prior training of national inspectors, harmonised inspections, cross boundary control, inspection and surveillance activities and, to a large extent, by teams of inspectors of mixed nationalities. The level of cooperation has been exemplary and the first signs of enhanced compliance levels have been observed notably in the Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea.
In 2009, the CFCA has initiated also its activities in the area of the fight against IUU activities and in the area of Capacity Building in order to be ready for the priorities set for these activities in the 2010 Work Programme.
Mid–term priorities
The main priorities in the mid-term are:
• Supporting Member States and the Commission in applying the IUU Regulation.
• Operational coordination of inspection and control for cod in the North and Baltic seas, bluefin tuna, NAFO and NEAFC Regulatory Area, to be extended to Northern Hake, Swordfish and certain pelagics.
• Developing and strengthening the skills, abilities, processes and resources of enforcement authorities for the purpose of uniform and effective application of the rules of the CFP by Member States.
Proposed Draft Budget for 2011
The proposed draft budget of the European Union subsidy for the CFCA in 2011 is of 8.85 million Euros (7.28 million of administrative expenditure and 1.57 of operational expenditure). In comparison to 2010, it implies a 5.2% increase, as this year the CFCA has 8.41 million Euros subsidy.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure in the North Sea for juvenile fish starting from 13/01/2024 to 02/02/2024 23:59 hrs.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure in the North Sea for juvenile fish starting from 21/01/2024 to 12/03/2024 23:59 hrs.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure in the North Sea starting from 22/02/2024 to 13/03/2024 23:59 hrs.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure in the North Sea starting from 10/03/2024 to 30/03/2024 23:59 hrs.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure in their waters of The Skagerrak starting from 13/03/2024 to 02/04/2024 23:59 hrs.
The Netherlands has established two new Real-Time Closures in the North Sea starting from 08/03/2024 to 29/03/2024 23:59 hrs.
Belgium has established a new Real-Time Closure in the North Sea starting from 14/03/2024 to 03/04/2024 23:59 hrs.
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.