Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

 

13 November 2024   Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Newsletter

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In this issue Foreword   News   OCEAN by Euronews   Stories of the month   Map of the month   Events   Funding opportunities

Foreword

Dear readers,

We are working at full speed on the 2025 fishing opportunities. From the Baltic Sea to the Atlantic, Kattegat and Skagerrak, the Mediterranean and Black Seas, to the  stocks shared with our neighbours in the North-East Atlantic. We are busy on the international stage too, with the annual meetings of several regional fisheries management organisations: I had the opportunity to attend last week the 47th Session of the GFCM in Rome – and in Limassol this week for the 24th Special Meeting of ICCAT. And as we work on the rest, read up on Maritime Spatial Planning, the Arctic, the latest endorsements of the EU Mission Ocean and Waters Charter; or catch-up on the latest OCEAN series episode: how can AI help Europe's fishers and protect the seas? Last but not least, our warm congratulations to Commissioner-designate for fisheries and oceans, Costas Kadis, on his successful hearing at the European Parliament. Warm regards,  Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General  Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries @vitcheva_eu

News

Commission and Norway agree on EU quota of Svalbard cod for 2025 and beyond The Commission and Norway have reached an agreement on a number of outstanding issues in the area of fisheries, including a quota of Svalbard cod to the EU at the level of 2,8274% of the total allowable catch (TAC) for the next and the following years.   more     EU and neighbourhood countries agree 1st shared EU-Albania fisheries restricted area and other measures to protect Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries and biodiversity During the 47th annual meeting of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), the EU and neighbourhood countries agreed on important measures in favour of sustainability of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.   more     Commission proposes fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Atlantic, Kattegat and Skagerrak Today, the Commission published its proposal to set catch limits, or total allowable catches (TACs), for ten fish stocks in the EU waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Kattegat, and Skagerrak for 2025.   more     North-East Atlantic coastal states reach agreement on mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring TACs for 2025 The delegations of the European Union, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom (coastal states) reached an agreement on management measures, for mackerel, Atlanto-Scandian herring and blue whiting in the North-East Atlantic for 2025.   more     Agreement reached on 2025 fishing opportunities for the Baltic Sea The Council of the European Union reached a political agreement on the fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2025, following the Commission proposal made in August this year.   more     EU requests establishment of arbitration tribunal over the UK’s prohibition of fishing of sandeel The EU decided to request the establishment of an independent arbitration tribunal under the dispute settlement mechanism of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) concerning the United Kingdom’s decision to prohibit the fishing of sandeel.   more     EU boosts innovation for Arctic sustainable development – highlights from the Arctic Circle Assembly 2024 Reykjavik, 18 October 2024 – The EU plays a critical role supporting innovation to drive sustainable economic development in the Arctic. This was the focus of a panel session organised by the EU and the Arctic Economic Council at the 2024 Arctic Circle Assembly.   more     CISE at the centre of discussion in Brussels On 17 October 2024, the EU’s maritime community met in Brussels to discuss the present challenges in maritime security domain and the role of CISE in bringing maritime authorities together for a stronger and more effective response to them.   more     Commission supports maritime spatial planning globally The proper planning of ocean space and use is a precondition of good ocean governance. It is indispensable if we want to sustainably grow our blue economy and preserve - or even restore - the marine ecosystem.   more     EU Maritime Spatial Planning Week 2024: a decade of activities and support to cross-border cooperation The EU Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) Week marked a decade of EU support to cross-border cooperation on maritime spatial planning. The European Maritime Spatial Planning Week brought the MSP community together in Marseille (France) to reflect on the achievements made across European seas, discuss current policies, and plan for the next steps to tackle new challenges for maritime spatial planning in the EU.   more     Bulgaria and Romania endorse the EU Mission Ocean and Waters Charter Two additional countries – Bulgaria and Romania – as well as some of their key regional and local stakeholders endorsed the Charter of the EU Mission 'Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030', committing to accelerate the restoration of the Danube River and Black Sea region.   more     Africa-Europe Ocean Strategic Group drives the partnership between two continents On 10 October 2024 the Africa-Europe Ocean Strategic Group presented its report on how to help the two continents work together on ocean issues.    more     Apply for the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries by 30 November 2024 The Commission has launched a call for applications for the selection of members of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).   more

OCEAN by Euronews

Euronews OCEAN Season 6, Episode 10 – Fish and microchips: how AI can help Europe's fishers and protect the seas   New digital tools in fishery control can help ensure compliance with fishing rules and catch limits while making fishers' jobs easier and safer.   more

Stories of the month

Slovenian fish farms get greener A plan to make a Slovenian trout farm self-sufficient in renewable energy has become a model of water use, waste management, biodiversity, and social engagement.   more     Revolutionising Precision Fishing Through Digital Transformation Fishing is changing, and projects like VISTools are leading the way. This innovation harnesses the power of technology to optimise fishing operations by automating data collection and analysis of data on fishing vessels.   more     Remote Electronic Monitoring on bluefin tuna processing vessels Since 2022,the European Union has been funding a Pilot Project for the use of remote electronic monitoring systems on processing vessels for bluefin tuna.   more     Protecting the Artic sea ice with Arctic Reflections and BlueInvest Arctic Reflections is on a mission to protect Arctic Sea ice, which functions as a natural heat shield and plays a significant role in cooling the planet. Led by an innovative team, this project from the Netherlands combines smart technology, indigenous collaboration, and a deep commitment to   more

Map of the month

Trade of fisheries and aquaculture products On average, Europeans consume 24 kg (live weight) of fish or seafood per year. The supply of these products to the European Union (EU) market is ensured by the EU’s own production and by imports. The map shows the total volume (intra-EU and extra-EU) of imports and exports of fisheries and aquaculture products by country.   more

Events

SAVE THE DATE! European Ocean Days 2025 date 03/03/2025 - 07/03/2025   more

Funding opportunities

Maritime regional cooperation fostering Smart Specialisation and Innovation in the Sustainable Blue Economy (Topic 1) Deadline 18/02/2025   more   Demonstrating feasibility and environmental benefits of regenerative ocean farming and boosting algae innovation (Topic 2) Deadline 18/02/2025   more

This newsletter is published by the European Commission's Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. Visit our website: Oceans and Fisheries