European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Mr Karmenu Vella, visited FAOs

Earlier in the morning, the Commissioner paid a visit to the headquarters of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). At the meeting with GFCM Chair, Mr Stefano Cataudella and the Executive Secretary Mr Abdellah Srour, it was stressed that regional and sub-regional cooperation is needed on a number of common challenges as: fish stocks, data collection and sustainable aquaculture development for the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Commissioner Vella invited the GFCM to attend a meeting of all Mediterranean fisheries ministers in Brussels in April, and to discuss with them what specific measures need to be taken to improve the sustainability of the Mediterranean stocks.

Commissioner Vella also met FAO Director General Mr Jose Graziano da Silva to explore how to reinforce existing cooperation between the EU and FAO. Mr Vella informed FAO DG on the outcomes of the European public consultation on Ocean Governance and announced the preparation of a political initiative. Both of them share the objective of making fisheries and Ocean Governance more sustainable as a key element to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 14, as well as to mitigate climate change effects and ensure blue growth. As possible avenues of cooperation it was mentioned: strengthening the efficiency of regional fisheries bodies, improving information exchange in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) and work together in order to increase the awareness of the important role that sustainable fisheries and aquaculture have for food security and nutrition.