Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure (RTC) in their waters of The Skagerrak :
For the period from the 24 of May 2023 to the 13 of June 2023 23:59 hrs (See more Information).
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure (RTC) in their waters of The Skagerrak :
For the period from the 24 of May 2023 to the 13 of June 2023 23:59 hrs (See more Information).
La deuxième réunion du comité de pilotage du projet e-FishMed, financé par l’UE, s’est tenue à Madrid le 31 mai 2023. La réunion s’est tenue en Espagne, un des pays partenaires du projet. Le projet e-FishMed mettra en place une académie régionale virtuelle pour soutenir la lutte contre la pêche INN et le contrôle des mesures de conservation et de gestion en Méditerranée, en particulier celles adoptées par la Commission générale des pêches pour la Méditerranée (CGPM) et la Commission internationale pour la conservation des thonidés de l’Atlantique (CICTA).
L’académie virtuelle contribuera à harmoniser les activités de contrôle et d’inspection des pêches et favorisera la coopération et l’échange de bonnes pratiques entre les pays du nord et du sud de la Méditerranée. Le projet contribuera également à créer les conditions d’une économie bleue durable dans ce domaine.
L’Algérie, la Libye, la Mauritanie, le Maroc et la Tunisie seront les bénéficiaires du projet, avec le soutien technique de la France, de l’Italie, de Malte, du Portugal et de l’Espagne. À l’avenir, le projet pourrait être étendu à d’autres pays méditerranéens. Financé par l’Union européenne par l’intermédiaire du Fonds européen pour les affaires maritimes, la pêche et l’aquaculture (FEAMPA), e-FishMed est mis en œuvre par l’AECP et durera jusqu’au début de 2025.
La réunion a été l’occasion d’examiner les progrès réalisés dans le cadre du projet au cours de la première année de mise en œuvre, de discuter les principaux résultats obtenus et de valider le plan de travail du projet pour la période suivante. Au cours du première année, l’AECP a procédé à une évaluation des capacités et des besoins en matière de formation dans les pays bénéficiaires, a élaboré un programme de formation commun/harmonisé et a mis en place la structure et les fonctionnalités de la plateforme en ligne e-FishMed sur la base des besoins et des exigences des futurs utilisateurs.
Le programme de formation commun contribuera à une meilleure compréhension et application des règles grâce à un parcours d’apprentissage commun mis à la disposition de tous les formateurs de chaque pays bénéficiaire. En outre, la plateforme d’apprentissage en ligne e-FishMed sera au cœur du projet et améliorera l’efficacité des activités de formation visant à renforcer les connaissances et les compétences du personnel chargé du contrôle et de l’inspection des pêches.
Les membres du comité de pilotage du projet e-FishMed ont exprimé leur ferme volonté de soutenir le projet et ont convenu que la coopération et la coordination entre tous les acteurs sont essentielles à la réussite de la mise en œuvre du projet.
L’AECP est une agence de l’UE qui promeut les normes communes les plus élevées en matière de contrôle, d’inspection et de surveillance dans le cadre de la politique commune de la pêche (PCP). L’AECP a été créée pour assurer la coordination opérationnelle des activités des États membres et les aider à coopérer afin de respecter les règles de la PCP et en garantir l’application effective et uniforme. L’AECP soutient également les pays tiers dans le cadre de projets de renforcement des capacités financés par l’UE.
La valeur ajoutée des travaux de l’Agence réside dans sa contribution à la pêche durable en renforçant le respect des mesures de conservation et de gestion et dans l’instauration de conditions de concurrence équitables pour le secteur de la pêche.
Communication de la Commission européenne sur l’économie bleue durable
Communication conjointe sur «Un partenariat renouvelé avec le voisinage méridional » publiée en février 2021
L’Agence européenne de contrôle des pêches (AECP) a présidé la réunion avec la participation de représentants des pays bénéficiaires (Algérie, Libye, Mauritanie, Maroc et Tunisie), des partenaires du projet (France, Italie, Malte, Portugal et Espagne), de la Commission européenne et du consortium du mécanisme d’assistance WestMed.
The second Steering Committee meeting of the EU-funded e-FishMed project was held in Madrid on 31 May 2023, hosted by Spain, one of the partner countries of the project. The e-FishMed project aims to set up a virtual regional academy to support the fight against IUU fishing and the control of conservation and management measures in the Mediterranean Sea, especially those adopted by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).
The virtual academy will contribute to harmonise fisheries control and inspection activities and foster cooperation and exchange of best practices between northern and southern Mediterranean countries. The project will also contribute to creating the conditions for a sustainable Blue Economy in that area.
Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia are beneficiaries of the project and the initiative is supported by France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain. In the future, the project could be extended to other Mediterranean countries. Financed by the European Union through the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF), e-FishMed is implemented by EFCA and will last until beginning of 2025.
The meeting was the occasion to review the progress made within the project during the first year of implementation, to discuss the main results achieved, and to validate the next project’s annual work plan. During this period, EFCA carried out an evaluation of the training capacities and needs in the Beneficiary Countries, developed a common/harmonised training programme, and built up the structure and the functionalities of the e-FishMed e-learning platform based on the needs and requirements of the future users.
The common training programme will contribute to a better understanding and application of the rules through a common learning path available to all the trainers in each Beneficiary Country. Moreover, the e-FishMed e-learning platform will be at the core of the project improving the effectiveness of training activities aimed to reinforce the knowledge and competencies of fisheries control and inspection staff.
The members of the e-FishMed steering committee expressed their strong commitment to support the project and agreed that cooperation and coordination among all actors are key for successful project implementation.
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 CFP rules in order to ensure its effective and uniform application. EFCA also supports non-EU countries in the framework of EU funded capacity building Projects.
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 playing field for the fishing industry.
European Commission Communication on Sustainable Blue Economy
Joint Communication on a “Renewed partnership with the Southern Neighbourhood” issued in February 2021
EFCA launched the online platform hosting the Practical Handbook on Coast Guard Functions during the Annual European Coast Guard Event in Lisbon (Portugal), on 27 - 28 of June 2023. The European platform is operated by EFCA in close cooperation with EMSA, Frontex, and the European Commission, and is available at https://coastguard.europa.eu.
The online platform hosting the interactive Handbook is designed as a practical tool for European civilian and military authorities, facilitating cross-border and cross-sector collaboration. It contains interactive catalogues with guidelines and recommendations, services, and training courses offered through the cooperation of the three agencies. It also includes interactive factsheets presenting the authorities involved in coast guard functions in the Member States with a coastline, as well as the EFTA states Iceland and Norway.
In addition, the platform provides a compilation of the cooperation mechanisms and agreements related to the maritime domain where Member States, the EU or EFTA states are members, at bilateral, multilateral, regional and international level. An interactive map displays the national and regional authorities and allows filtering according to the visitor’s interest.
The three EU agencies, EFCA, EMSA and Frontex, work closely under the inter-agency cooperation framework, to provide support and assistance to the national authorities performing coast guard functions at national and European level.
The scope of the platform includes information pertaining to the five cooperation areas of the three agencies: information sharing, surveillance and communication services, capacity building, risk analysis, and capacity sharing.
The online platform will be further developed during the following years in close consultation with Member States national authorities and will incorporate more tools and information with the aim to facilitate and promote the European cooperation on coast guard functions. Information concerning the recently launched Coast Guard Exchange Programme is planned to be made available on this online platform.
“This portal provides a common space for all competent authorities involved in coast guard functions in Europe. It is a tangible tool for sharing resources and exchange, going a step further in the cooperation,¨ said Susan Steele, EFCA Executive Director.
During the afternoon of next Sunday, July 16, one of the three EFCA offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), the Ocean Guardian, will open its doors to receive the citizens of Vigo willing to visit it.
This action, organised with the collaboration of the European Commission Office in Spain, aims to raise awareness about the EU as part of the EU Spanish Presidency activities.
On Sunday 16 July 2023, between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., the Ocean Guardian will show to the public, life on board and the activity of this OPV chartered by EFCA, the only European Union body located in Galicia.
The OPV 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.
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, including space for physical exercise and after work relax.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure (RTC) in their waters of The Skagerrak for juvenile fish, for the period from 31 of August to 20 September 2023 23:59 hrs.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure (RTC) in their waters for juvenile fish.
Denmark has established a new Real-Time Closure (RTC) in their waters for juvenile fish.
The Multipurpose Maritime Operation (MMO) taking place in the Adriatic Sea has kicked off and will run until the 9 October 2023. It will be led by EFCA and has been agreed between EFCA, EMSA and FRONTEX in cooperation with the authorities of Italy, Croatia and Slovenia.
The overall aim of the MMO is to enhance European cooperation on coast guard functions by providing increased technical and operational assistance to the host Member States by coordinating operational activities. The operational activities are conducted in an operational area, that include Italian, Slovenia and Croatian sovereignty waters, contiguous zones, Exclusive Economic Zones and international waters of Adriatic Sea.
The participating Member States are Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. EFCA as leading agency contributes with one offshore patrol vessel, the Ocean Sentinel, one fixed wing aircraft, and different systems supporting the operation. EMSA is providing RPAS on board of the patrol vessel and the maritime picture via the Agency’s Integrated Maritime Services (IMS). FRONTEX is supporting Croatia to provide 6 coastal patrol boats.
The European Coordination Centre (ECC) is established within the Coordination Centre located in EFCA headquarters, in Vigo (Spain), with the virtual participation of those participants attending remotely. The European Coordination Centre is hosting daily coordination meetings.
Moreover, as part of EMSA’s and EFCA’s Service Level Agreement, both Agencies have completed the successful installation of a ro-trawl net system and five tonnes of dispersants onboard EFCA’s chartered vessel, the Ocean Sentinel in Ravenna. This comes in addition to comprehensive crew training in the deployment of this oil pollution response equipment. The Ocean Sentinel marks the first of three currently EFCA chartered vessels in this effort. EFCA multirole offshore fisheries patrol vessels have gained additional valuable capacity through this collaboration, hence it also strengthens cooperation in coast guard functions between the agencies in support of MS authorities. EFCA vessels will join EMSA’s oil pollution fleet and will be ready to be activated on MS request in case support would be needed in the event of oil pollution incidents in EU waters.
A small-scale SAR exercise led by EMSA (SARex 2023) will take place on 26 September in the North Adriatic Sea area within the framework of the MMO Adria 2023. The objective of the SARex 2023 is to enhance cooperation and coordination between the involved SAR authorities of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia as well as to gain heightened situational awareness and experience in the use of communication systems/channels.
Denmark has established two new Real-Time Closures (RTC) in their waters starting from 20/09/2023.