Last month, the European Commission and 20 EU and Mediterranean states renewed their commitments to deliver on their sustainability pledges made in the MedFish4Ever Declaration.
The 2017 MedFish4Ever Declaration has been a cornerstone in regional fisheries governance, catalysing action to build a regulatory framework for sustainable management and development.
Six years down the road, Mediterranean states met again in Malta to review progress and renew their commitment to live up to the promises of the Declaration, while looking into the future challenges that this region is facing in pursuing sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.
Renewed commitments on key priorities
The parties confirmed their renewed commitments to reinforce efforts in reaching these objectives:
- protecting marine resources
- combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
- strengthening the viability of coastal communities through the support to the small-scale fisheries prevailing in the region
- ensuring decent working conditions and social protection of fishers
- making fisheries more attractive to the young generation and giving equal recognition of the work of women
- building sustainable aquaculture and strengthening the value chain.
Financing a sustainable future
All these commitments will require additional resources, as well as keeping up the exemplary cooperation and partnership among all the countries and among all the stakeholders in the region.
The European Union, as main donor for the implementation of the MedFish4Ever Declaration, reconfirmed its financial support through the dedicated GFCM Grant of €8 million, calling upon new donors to join.