e-FishMed project supports the fight against IUU fishing in the Mediterranean – The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) has launched an innovative exchange programme under the EU-funded e-FishMed project to step up the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This initiative aims to strengthen regional cooperation and facilitate the sharing of expertise and best practices among Mediterranean countries.
The programme, which involves fisheries inspectors and operators of Fisheries Monitoring Centres (FMCs) from Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania and Tunisia, is technically supported by the e-FishMed project partner countries, which include France, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain, representing a bridge between the expertise of the northern and southern Mediterranean.
The first session of the exchange programme, which opened yesterday, will run until 19 April 2024 in Spain, in cooperation with the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Participants in Madrid, will visit the Spanish Fisheries Monitoring Centre. This initial meeting will include several interactive sessions aimed at facilitating the exchange of knowledge and the strengthening of professional networks and cooperation between the participating countries. Afterwards, the group will move to Malaga, where the inspectors will have the opportunity to directly observe fisheries inspection activities, gaining a practical insight into Spanish working methods.
This exchange is one of the key outcomes of the e-FishMed project, which aims to harmonise fisheries control and inspection activities in the Mediterranean while promoting effective cooperation against IUU fishing. The initiative is crucial not only to improve fisheries conservation and management measures in the region, but also to foster the development of a sustainable blue economy.
The implementation of this exchange programme highlights a growing commitment to sustainability and responsible management of marine resources, crucial for the future of the Mediterranean and its coastal communities.
e-FishMed project supports the fight against IUU fishing in the Mediterranean
