Pascal Savouret, EFCA executive director. (Photo Credit: EC)
EUROPEAN UNIONFriday, March 06, 2015, 23:50 (GMT + 9)
The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) revealed an increase in its inspections by a significant 20 per cent last year compared to the previous year and detected 739 infringements in 2014.
This announcement was made in the agency’s annual report of its activities, which was adopted on 5 March 2015 at the meeting of the EFCA Administrative Board.
The executive director of the European agency, Pascal Savouret, explained that the most usual infrigements are related to the net size and to the fishing gear in general as well as to the activity reports (numbers, species and capture size).
The EFCA reported that in 2014 it performed 12,752 inspections in 2675 days and detected 739 infringements whereas in 2013 there had been 8881 inspections made in 2206 days and 563 infrigements had been detected.
In 2012, 9037 inspections carried out in 1568 days had made it possible for the agency to detect 534 infringements.
The 2014 report outlines that Five Joint Deployment Plans have been implemented as well the development of a year-round activity, covering a wider range of species with permanent exchange of information and intelligence.
EFCA also stressed how it assisted Member States and the European Commission to prepare for the monitoring of the landing obligation, including rolling out new data network systems, adding modules for training fisheries’ inspectors and finding synergies with Member states for joint monitoring efforts.
Furthermore, the Agency highlights that it played an active role at an international level by providing capacity building operations in non-EU countries in support of sustainable fisheries partnerships agreements, contributing to the evaluation of non-EU governments to fight IUU activities and assisting EU delegations in the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations.
"The EFCA contributed to assist the smooth implement of the new features of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and particularly worked hard with the Member States to prepare the monitoring of the landing obligation by brokering cooperation, promoting interoperability and building common capacities," pointed out Savouret.
In a recent seminar on the landing obligation, the Agency committed to continue its cooperation with Member states to facilitate compliance and a level playing field, stating it is ready to extend its cooperation where this is required.