Thursday 30 March: Ministerial Conference on Mediterranean Fisheries in Malta

The news:

The European Commission is organising a Ministerial Conference on Mediterranean fisheries in Malta on 29-30 March 2017. This event is a significant political push to address the alarming state of stocks and its impact on the industry and coastal communities.

Thanks to the preparatory work of Commissioner Vella,, the European Commission has secured high level representation from 22 of the 23 countries that share a Mediterranean shoreline. With the political voices from the northern and southern coast present, there is a real window of opportunity.

The Conference will culminate with the signature of the Malta MedFish4Ever Declaration; a political declaration to be signed by all Mediterranean Ministers, thus providing political approval for this unprecedented and important process.

The background:

After the political initiative launched by the EU in Catania (February 2016) and in Brussels (April 2016), the EU is now taking a step further by proposing a ministerial declaration of all riparian countries on sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean, following up on the Declaration adopted in Venice in 2003. The declaration will set the work in the area the next 10 years on critical issues such as small-scale fisheries, fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, data collection, scientific advice and reliable conservation measures.

The event:

Wednesday 29 March:

10:00 - 13:00 Round table event - Meeting between Commissioner Vella and stakeholders on small scale fisheries (Xara Lodge, Sqaq Tac Cawla, Triq il-Belt, L/O Rabat - RBT 5320)

19:00 - 22:00 Launch event of the conference and welcome reception for delegations and stakeholders (Verdala Palace, Buskett Gardens, in Siġġiewi)

Thursday 30 March: Ministerial Conference (Grand Master's Palace, Palace Square, Valetta)

10:00 - 13:00 Plenary conference

13:00 - 14:00Signing ceremony of the Ministerial Conference Malta MedFish4Ever

The sources:

MEDFISH4EVER website

Mediterranean fish stocks: the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean details its strategy for the next 4 years(27/09/2016)

40th Annual Session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean: the start of "a new era in fish stock recovery"(06/06/2016)

Brussels: Governments discuss the future of the Mediterranean at Seafood Expo(28/04/2016)

Catania: Putting an end to overfishing in the Mediterranean (09/02/2016)

AGENDA/17/559