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Fish Fraud and Illegal Fishing in Denmark: errors, lies and falsifications.

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 Experts urge Danish authorities to reopen cases of illegally registered fishing vessels

Copenhagen, Denmark – July 5, 2024 – A Danish Fisheries Agency report has unveiled significant levels of mismanagement and illegal activities within the Danish fishing industry, prompting experts to call for immediate review and action.

Following extensive research by TV 2, a prominent Danish television station with a reputation for investigative journalism, it has been revealed that numerous fishing vessels, particularly mussel vessels in the Limfjord (northern Denmark), have been operating with illegally large engines. The Fisheries Agency has admitted to several administrative errors, including retroactively legalizing these engines by altering the interpretation of existing regulations without proper legal authority.

Key Findings from the DFA report:

  • The Fisheries Agency illegally changed the interpretation of rules, allowing previously illegal engines to operate.
  • The Danish Parliament was misled regarding engine power regulations, being provided with incorrect information.
  • The Agency dropped cases against three fishers caught with excessive engine power during inspections.
  • All inspections were halted based on erroneous doubts about the inspection methods.
  • At least 11 out of 30 mussel vessels in the Limfjord were found to have engines exceeding the legal limit of 130 kilowatts.

Broader Implications: The issue of illegally large engines extends beyond the Limfjord, impacting other regulated areas, notably Area 22 of the Baltic Sea (a cod spawning area), Rødspættekassen (Plaice Box) in the North Sea, and the 3-mile limit along the entire Danish coast. These regions have stringent engine power limits to protect the marine environment and ensure sustainable fishing practices which have been flouted.

Expert Opinions: Legal experts, including Professor Frederik Waage from the University of Southern Denmark, assert that the Agency must reopen these cases, as the previous retroactive legalization was unlawful. Professor Rasmus Grønved Nielsen from the University of Copenhagen concurs, emphasizing the need for transparency and adherence to legal standards.

Environmental Impact: The unchecked use of overpowered engines has far reaching implications for the environment, potentially exacerbating the worrying situation in the Limfjord, including severe oxygen depletion. Experts from Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen have highlighted the negative impact of mussel fishing on the marine ecosystem.

Ministerial Response: Minister for Fisheries Jacob Jensen has acknowledged the administrative failures and pledged to enhance control measures and adjust the regulatory framework. However, details on specific actions to address the illegal vessels remain unclear.

Industry Reaction: The Danish Fishermen’s Association (DFPO) advocates for repealing the law prohibiting derating and for a new system of continuous engine power monitoring to ensure compliance with regulations, suggesting that this could prevent future violations.

Next Steps: The Fisheries Agency is under pressure to act promptly to rectify past mistakes and prevent future environmental harm. The Minister has also announced an investigation into the ecological consequences of inadequate control measures.

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Contact: For further information, please contact:

Claudia Orlandini
Senior Communications and Outreach Officer

Email: communications@lifeplatform.eu

 

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Press release: 5 Years On Emergency Becomes the Norm in the Baltic

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  Better appliance of science, fair fisheries and a Cod Recovery Plan for the Baltic are urgently needed, concludes well-attended event by Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE)  

 

Brussels, 26 June 2024 –  An event organized in Brussels by the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE) marked 5 years since emergency measures effectively closing the cod fishery were introduced by the European Commission to save the ailing Eastern Baltic cod stock from impending collapse. The initiative brought together decision-makers, European Commission and Member States officials, politicians, scientists, sector stakeholders and representatives from small-scale fishing communities. Their shared concern was how to address the ongoing critical state of Baltic cod stocks, the lack of herring and sprat prey, increased predation from seals and cormorants, the socioeconomic impacts of the extended fishery closures, and the worsening environmental conditions in the Baltic. Despite the emergency cod closure in July 2019, there has been no sign of recovery of cod stocks, and future prospects for the fishing sector look bleak.

The meeting held in Mundo B in Brussels.

The workshop provided an in-depth overview of the Baltic cod stock status, highlighting the shortcomings of the 2016 Baltic Multiannual Management Plan (MAP). Fishers’ representatives Bengt Larsson (SYEF, Sweden) and David Lange (FSK, Denmark) shared firsthand experiences of the devastating effects on small-scale fisheries and their communities. Scientific insights were provided by Rainer Froese (GEOMAR Institute), who discussed the failures of current fisheries science and management practices, emphasising the need for revised management strategies and precautionary measures. “It came clear today that the failure of fisheries management is rooted in two main issues: first is the failure to seize on the potential of Article 17, so quotas still go to high-impact fishing and benefit the fishmeal industry; and secondly the process through which science provides management advice, by not using BMSY,  leads to reduced fish populations, resulting in a dysfunctional ecosystem. Small-scale fishers, who constitute the backbone of the EU Baltic fishing fleet and workforce, deserve immediate and decisive action to remedy this situation and rescue their livelihoods from destruction,”  stated Marta Cavallé, Executive Secretary of the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE).

Swedish politician Isabella Lövin and SYEF representative Bengt Larsson

A dynamic panel discussion featured policymakers, experts and fishers including representatives from DG Mare, the European Parliament, Permanent Representations of the Region’s Member States and NGOs. They highlighted the need to ensure the effective implementation of existing management plans and for robust actions to be taken to improve the conditions of the Baltic marine environment. The socioeconomic consequences of the current management debacle are severe, particularly for small-scale fishers who comprise over 90% of the EU’s Baltic fishing fleet. LIFE urges ICES to rectify scientific advice by using BMSY and prioritising stock growth. The European Commission and Member States to support small-scale fishing communities through a revision of the Baltic MAP, including cod targeted recovery efforts, lower fishing pressure on cod prey and for Article 17 to be used to re-assign quotas in ways that encourage low impact fishing. 

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For more information and background reading on the Baltic Emergency, please refer to the presentations of the panellists and to the analysis and proposals provided by the Low Impact Fishers of Europe.

 

PRESENTATIONS

 

Christian Tsangarides, LIFE BANS coordinator

Bengt Larsson, Sveriges Yrkesfiskares Ekonomiska Förening (Sweden)

David Lange, FSK (Denmark)

Kurt Buchmann, University of Copenhagen

Rainer Froese, GEOMAR institute

 

Photo 1 - Project partners

Small-scale fishing sector at the cutting edge of the energy transition thanks to innovative technologies tested by multisectoral partnership

Aalborg, 4 June 2024 – LIFE is enthusiastic to be part of a consortium of 16 partners from across the European Union, Norway and Thailand who joined in Aalborg, Denmark, to officially launch the Seaglow Project and accelerate the transition of the fishing sector towards renewable and low-carbon energy sources. The initiative, led by NorthDenmark EU-Office, aims to demonstrate that when using the right combination of technologies, small-scale fisheries can reduce their dependency on fossil fuels and positively contribute to restoring marine ecosystems and improving fishing communities’ well-being.

The SEAGLOW consortium will design, construct, and operate five technology pilots, including the replacement of conventional diesel engines, on four vessels in Denmark, Estonia, Norway, and Sweden. Researchers and fishers will then conduct tests in real-life conditions during operations covering at least two fishing seasons, which is rarely done due to the complexity of the task. “We are very excited to kick off this ambitious project”, – states Hanne Bregendahl Pihl, Head of Unit of NorthDenmark EU-Office – “it is a unique opportunity to test and demonstrate some of the available green transition solutions on the market and showcase the impact of these on real, active fishing boats across the Baltic and North Sea. Seaglow has received very high evaluations from the European Commission and encompasses a consortium with a high political reach, which provides optimum conditions for providing feedback on what works in practice, what are the challenges the fishermen are experiencing when engaging in the green transition and what needs to be changed or adapted in future regulations, funding programs and setups.”

 

LIFE will be involved in several project activities, ranging from communication tasks to producing policy recommendations. Cleaner energy sources are a top priority on the European agenda, with the indicative target for the fishing sector to reduce fossil fuel intensity (in litres per kg of landed product) by >15 % from 2019 to 2030, with the ultimate goal being CO2 neutrality by 2050. Thanks to the Seaglow Project, the small-scale fishing sector will take significant steps forward in overcoming the regulatory and technical challenges of switching to the use of cleaner energy sources and reducing dependency on fossil fuels.

*Cover photo: Partners part of the Seaglow Project (Photo by courtesy of the Seaglow Project).

*Photo: LIFE staff during the kick-off meeting held in Aalborg, Denmark

*Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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Coalition Clean Baltic: new scientific advice shows that Baltic fish stocks are still under stress

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On Friday, 31 May, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) published its scientific advice on how much fish can be caught in the Baltic Sea next year. The numbers show that the Baltic Sea ecosystem and fish stocks remain in severe distress and that even the cuts in catches that have been made over the past years are not enough to bring stocks back to healthy levels.

“In 2013 the EU reformed its fisheries policy promising a new era with healthy fish stocks. Since then, the fish biomass in the Baltic has declined by around 800.000 tonnes while catches have shrunk by 130.000 tonnes (40% from the closed cod fishery). Implementing the ICES advice will not bring our stocks back. Coastal fishermen are clear: cut the quotas and restrict the trawl fishery for herring, sprat and plaice“, says Christian Tsangarides, Baltic & North Sea Coordinator at Low Impact Fishers of Europe, LIFE.

NGOs and small-scale fishermen alike call for a drastic overhaul of the current fisheries management that should put the health of the Baltic Sea ecosystem at its centre.

 

Muireann and MEPs

Defending Irish islands’ communities: young Muireann takes a stand in Strasbourg for Pollack fishing

On 24 April 2024, Muireann Kavanagh travelled to Strasbourg with her father Neily Kavanagh for a series of meetings facilitated by Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus.   She highlighted the impact of the recent closure of the line-caught pollack fishery on the island and other communities.

 

Access the PR by IIMRO and LIFE in English here

Accédez au communiqué de presse de IIMRO et de LIFE en français ici.

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Meet LIFE new Members: Mulleres Salgadas

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In April 2024, Mulleres Salgadas officially joined the Low Impact Fishers of Europe. In the interview below, Sandra Amezaga, their Executive Secretary, tells us more about their incredible work, daily fights and hopes for the future. 

 

Welcome to LIFE! We are very happy to have you as members of our platform. Could you tell us a bit more about your organisation, its origin, where you are, and where you work? 

Mulleres Salgadas was founded at the end of 2016 as Asociación de Mulleres do mar de Arousa, with scope in the Arousa estuary and the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra. Subsequently, we decided to become an autonomous association and changed the name to Mulleres Salgadas-Asociación Galega de Mulleres do Mar, extending our action to the whole territory of Galicia.

 

How many shellfish gatherers does your organisation represent, how is your work carried out, and what fishing gear do you use?

There are currently 1695 members, 1296 of whom are shellfish gatherers on foot, which reflects the gender distribution of the different sea trades in Galicia. In addition, there are shellfish gatherers afloat, barnacle gatherers, etc.

Shell fishing on foot is an artisanal activity in which there have been few changes in gears and methods, although there have been changes in management. In addition to collecting bivalves, shellfish gatherers also sow, care for, regenerate, and clean the beaches.

Has the work of women shellfish gatherers always been carried out by women?

In contrast to shellfishing afloat, shellfishing on foot has been a largely female occupation, although a few men have entered the profession in recent years.

In a recent interview, you told us that the shellfish industry is going through a very complicated time in Galicia. Could you tell us what are the most important concerns of the sector right now?

Right now, the main concern is the mortality of shellfish on the beaches and the decline in shellfish resources. We are at a time when many of Galicia’s shellfish gatherers’ groups are ceasing activity or collecting very small quotas, which means a lack of income. Not all shellfish gatherers are entitled to receive the cessation benefit; furthermore, the procedures take a long time. There are still shellfish gatherers who have not received anything and have not worked since January. It is urgent to rethink the management of shellfishing as well as the requirements for obtaining the permits and the conditions to benefit from the cessation of activity.

Climate change is already directly affecting Galician fisheries. Other factors, such as pollution, poaching, etc., must also be addressed. It is very urgent to adapt to global warming, which is already here and has substantial consequences.

 

You also commented that shellfish gatherers do not have the same decision-making power in the cofradias as other members, such as small-scale fishers. Could you explain why this is the case and what could be done to change this?

Many conditioning factors lead to the lower presence of women in the management and leadership bodies of the cofradias, most of which are common to other professional groups and fields. Women have traditionally been relegated to the private sphere, to the home; they are responsible carers of the home and the family. There is an overload of domestic work, which, added to their professional tasks, leaves them exhausted and without time to devote to representation or to try to gain access to power. There is a perceived lack of motivation. This long-standing situation requires collective intervention and mentality change, including women and men. Furthermore, the Galician Law on Guilds does not help women to participate more. This law, dating from 1993, guarantees parity between workers and employers in the governing bodies of the guilds and considers that shell fishing on foot is included in the census of workers.

For us, the law on the cofradias must be modified entirely, seeking formulas for equal representation.  This is one step, but not the only one we must take.

LIFE’s main mission is to bring together and raise the voices of small-scale fishers at the European level. How do you think LIFE could support you in your struggle to sustain the seafood sector in your region? 

Despite the differences and peculiarities in the different areas, there are common problems where we can all benefit from each other’s experiences and contribute to finding solutions. LIFE is also an opportunity for the voices of many women who are not present in decision-making forums and who find it difficult to make themselves heard.

Access Mulleres Salgadas website here

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End of an Era

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NUTFA, dedicated to the support, survival and development of the small scale fishing fleet in England and Wales, to close.

 

Jerry Percy, Director of the New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association [NUTFA] has announced the forthcoming closure of the organisation that has represented the under ten sector of the industry for many years.

Jerry said; “while it was always going to be a difficult decision to close, I’m not getting any younger and to be honest, I refuse to be party to what I see as the ongoing destruction of the under ten fleet.

I think it is a tragedy that the 80% of the fleet that are under ten metres have been treated so shabbily by administrations going back decades that has in turn resulted in such a lack of fish on the inshore grounds, the almost complete lack of effective management especially in terms of effort, the deafening sound of cans being kicked down the road when exactly the opposite approach is needed, [look at the unacceptable delays in controlling the ravages of the fly seine fleet in the Channel etc] and the lip service paid to the under tens by other organisations.

What I still fail to understand is the failure by successive administrations to recognise and reward the smaller scale inshore fleet and thereby ensure the sustainability of their presence in coastal communities. The inherent danger in the current situation facing them is that they are largely the keepers of the knowledge, skills, culture and heritage going back generations and that once lost will be almost impossible to recover.

Compare this with the increasing use of foreign crews and the consolidation of quota – over 50% of UK share is held by foreign interests then the prophetic words of an under ten skipper in The Last Fishermen film we made in 2012 come back to haunt us; “one day there will be one bloody great boat come up here, with Tesco written down its side and it’ll catch more in a day than we will in a year”. With the exception of the Tesco slogan [and they couldn’t even be bothered to keep their fresh fish counters going – every little helps] that’s largely where we are.

NUTFA has recently been criticised for a lack of ‘membership’ which may be convenient for those seeking to undermine the organisation but the claims don’t stand up when we have a voluntary database of over 1000 fishermen who clearly support our aims and objectives.  We don’t charge a membership fee, not only because we do not have the admin capacity to handle it but also because so many in our sector are already on the bones of their backside and both Sarah Ready and I were content to work in a voluntary capacity although Sarah’s side of the work required funding for travel and court related costs that was not forthcoming, hence her recent retirement.

The overarching tragedy for me with regard to the current state of the inshore sector is that the men and women who are involved reflect all that made Britain what it once was. Resilient in the face of immense challenges, courage to keep going in conditions that others would shrink from, the ability to deal with anything and everything that life throws at them [with the possible exception of the MCA and DEFRA] and at the same time managing to stay positive in the face of sometimes crushing adversity.

So many of the under tens and non sector have said time and again that NUTFA was the only dedicated representative body that represented their interests and I’m sorry that they are going to lose that service. I can only hope that others take up the mantle and recognise that these guys are the true backbone of the fishing industry in so many coastal communities around our coast and step up.

If I’m honest, I will look back on my time with NUTFA and the other organisations I’ve been involved with, with a mixture of frustration at the lack of genuine representation and support from other bodies and the lack of recognition of their value by governments but overall with a massive sense of pride and honour to have done what I could to support them through difficult times”.

 

PODCAST “People Of The Sea”

listen to Jerry Percy speaking with freediver and ocean advocate Hanli Prinsloo about the oceans and how to protect them by clicking here

 

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Bluefin tuna quotas: a step closer towards fair distribution?

PRESS RELEASE
April 5 2024

The group made up of the Syndicat des Petits Métiers d’Occitanie, the Plateforme de la petite pêche artisanale, the Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE), the Comité départemental des pêches du VAR and the Prud’homie des pêcheurs de la Ciotat (Bouches du Rhône) has applauded the decision on 28 March by the Administrative Court of Appeal (ACA) in Toulouse to uphold the annulment of a ministerial order setting out the arrangements for allocating the bluefin tuna quota granted to France for 2017. More than 7 years after going to court to challenge the legality of the allocation of  bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) quota, the group has not waited in vain. 

After an initial ruling in its favour in June 2021, followed by the appeal lodged by the State in September 2021, this result raises the hopes of many small-scale fishers who face an unbearable situation in terms of the distribution of fishing quotas. Large vessels often monopolise quotas, leaving small-scale fishers with little or nothing.

The ACA simply confirmed the Montpellier Court’s 2021 ruling: Article L. 921-2 of the French Rural and Maritime Fishing Code lacks a legal basis. It governs the allocation of fishing opportunities based on three criteria, namely producers’ track record, market trends and economic balance, ignoring the integration of the environmental criterion into national texts required by European regulations and specifically art. 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy, which states that “Member States shall use transparent and objective criteria, including environmental, social and economic criteria. 

The case of bluefin tuna is particularly emblematic of this unfair situation, with a national quota of nearly 7,000 tonnes almost entirely redistributed to Mediterranean industrial fishing for export.

Thanks to major management efforts, the bluefin tuna stock has been recovering over the past 10 years, and we can only congratulate ourselves on its good state today. This positive trend has led to an increase in the French quota from 3,226 tonnes in 2017 to 6,693 tonnes in 2024. However, its internal distribution is still very unbalanced between industrial and small-scale fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

The group hopes that this legal breakthrough regarding access to resources will have a tangible impact on the ground for the hundreds of fishers fighting for survival.

Read the full judgment in French: https://toulouse.cour-administrative-appel.fr/decisions-de-justice/dernieres-decisions/l-attribution-des-sous-quotas-de-peche-de-thon-rouge-en-zone-ocean-atlantique-et-mediterranee-doit-integrer-un-critere-environnemental

Contact: communications@lifeplatform.eu

Photo: Peix Nostrum

Danish Fisheries Agency legalises illegal fishing according to Danish news channel TV2

Under the headline “Agency secretly removed rule meant to protect marine environment,” TV2 News reported on Sunday, March 17th, that the Danish Fisheries Agency has ignored illegal mussel fishing in the Limfjord and subsequently legalised it retroactively. This was done through guidance that was only recently published on the agency’s website. LIFE Member FSK-PO (Danish Coastal Fishermen’s Association) believes this constitutes a serious failure not only towards local coastal fishermen in areas with motor restrictions, such as the Limfjord, Rødspættekassen in the North Sea and area 22 in the Baltic Sea, but also towards the marine environment and fish stocks on which fishermen depend.

The story, which can be read on TV2’s website, concerns the illegal mussel fishing in the Limfjord. TV2 documents that at least 11 out of 30 mussel vessels in the Limfjord have been using illegally large engines for years. According to regulations, it is only allowed to use an engine of 130 KW, but for several years, the ships have used larger engines. This allows for more efficient fishing with larger, heavier, and more gear.

Illegal fishing has led to unfair competition for fishermen using more environmentally friendly gear and has also led to constant disturbance of the seabed, increasing oxygen depletion in the Limfjord. This has a significant impact on the marine environment, akin to “picking strawberries with a backhoe,” as researcher Jørgen LS Hansen puts it.
But it gets even worse when it turns out that the Fisheries Agency not only failed to punish illegal fishing but also made it legal by interpreting the rules in a way that exceeds the boundaries of the law and with retroactive effect. This is contrary to legislation enacted by democratically elected politicians. Management experts therefore call it an abuse of power.

However, the problem is not limited to the Limfjord. The chairman of FSK-PO, Søren Jakobsen, told TV2 News, “There are several marine areas where restrictions on engine size have been introduced to avoid overfishing.” He also mentions the example of area 22 in the Baltic Sea, where there is a limit of 221 kW, and where authorities have also failed to enforce the law on engine size. This has had significant consequences for local fishermen, who have been able to observe vessels with engines that are far too large fishing, among other things, cod in the area, enabling them to catch large quantities in a short time, leaving the marine environment in poor condition. There was previous focus on engine power in 2020 when Weekendavisen published a major article, but unfortunately, it did not lead to any changes at that time.

LIFE and Danish member FSK-PO hope the Danish government will now take this matter very seriously.

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The European Association of Fishermen in the Black Sea joins the LIFE Platform

  • First of all, Welcome to LIFE! We are thrilled to welcome your organisation as a new member of the LIFE platform. Could you tell us a bit about yourself, your organisation, and the area you fish in? 

My name is Evelina, I’m the project manager of the organisation “European Association of Fishermen in the Black Sea”, which includes fishers from Romania and Bulgaria. Since November 2017, we have been members of the Black Sea Fishermen’s Advisory Council, as an integral and essential part of the process of building future policies not only at a local, but also at the EU level. Since 2020 we are also members of National Fishers Net in Bulgaria. Our members work in the Black Sea, Dunay river (Northern border between Bulgaria and Romania) and all internal rivers and lakes.

  • Since when has this organisation existed? How many fishers does your association represent and in which area do you fish? 

The organisation was registered in March 2016 and we now have 103 members (commercial coastal and inland fishing) with 46 boats.

 

  • Small scale fishers use a wide range of fish gear, adapting to the species and the seasons. Could you tell us what kind of fishing gear the fishers in your community use? How big are your boats and which are your target species?

Our fishers use different fishing gear depending on the season and type of fish they look for. These include Hooks & Lines; Traps; Gillnets and Entangling Nets. The boats used are up to 12m and the main species are Mullet, Sprat, Round Goby, Black Sea shad, Bluefish, Horse Mackerel, Red Mullet, Atlantic Bonito, Black Sea Anchovy, Turbot, Garfish, Black Sea Barbed Shark, Gurnard, Lemon Sole and Plaice. 

  • The Black Sea region is quite a new area for LIFE. Could you tell us more about the region and how the war between Russia and Ukraine might be affecting the SSF’s work? 

The Black Sea is located in an area with geographical coordinates 40°55.5′N and 46°32.5′N and 27°27′E and 41°42′E. In its northern part, through the Kerch Strait, it is connected to the Sea of ​​Azov, and to the south, through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits, to the Sea of ​​Marmara and the Aegean Sea. Its total area is about 423 thousand km2, and together with the area of ​​the Sea of ​​Azov it reaches 460 thousand km2. 

Regarding the war, sea mines are our biggest direct threat in the Black Sea due to Russia’s war against Ukraine. At the beginning of the war in 2022, the explosive devices that surfaced in the water area and on the coasts of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey were not activated, but in recent months incidents have become more frequent, in which civilian vessels have been damaged. Attacks on tankers in the Black Sea have also been accompanied by oil spills with significant environmental damage for all coastal states affecting our fisheries. 

  • The main mission of LIFE is to provide a voice for the sector at the European and institutional levels, but also to support fishers with overcoming their challenges on the ground. Could you tell us more about the main concerns of the fishers in your region? What are the current battles your community is engaged in? 

Our battles are probably similar to many other fishing organisations in other regions. Generational renewal and maintaining an economically sustainable fleet is our main concern. Some areas of work that we have been involved in through our organisation include providing information regarding funding available for fishers and key updates in legislation concerning them. We also work with the local authorities and schools to promote small-scale fisheries and the economic opportunities they provide for the development of small settlements. We have also organised thematic events to promote fisheries and involved stakeholders from other industries such as ecological tourism. 

Our main current focus is to attract more active young people and organisations as members of the association. We need to promote our activity at all administrative levels. We are also trying to work closely with the tourism industry to promote local catches in restaurants and communicate the value of our local SSF fishing fleet. We would also like to attract more women in our initiatives and finally increase the confidence of small-scale fishermen in government institutions. 

  • Finally, could you tell us more about your motivations to become a member of LIFE? And what do you expect from being a member of LIFE?

We would like to work together with similar organisations and learn from their experience. It was very useful for our members to visit the East Hastings Sea Angling Association in Hastings and Eastborn in the UK a few years ago for example, and learn from their experience. We were particularly impressed by the social measures that are in place to help elderly fishermen and their families and their selling scheme of their catches. 

We’d like LIFE to help us with useful tips on how to better regulate the quotas and minimum sizes of catches and also support fishermen in giving value to their catches. We’d also look forward to having the opportunity to develop projects and partnerships with other mediterranean and Black Sea countries. 

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