Black Sea fisheries recovery from COVID-19 pandemic

Experts of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (GFCM) attended the 3rd Steering Group meeting of the Common Maritime Agenda (CMA) for the Black Sea, jointly organized with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE). Topics such as the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 on the blue economy and the recovery plan for the region were discussed in the meeting.

The GFCM has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 impact assessment on fisheries and aquaculture for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, with an online platform for the consultation process. It also has provided policy brief advice. GFCM has two aquaculture demonstration centers in the Black Sea at the National Institute for Marine Research and Development (NIMRD) in Constanta (Romania) and the Central Fisheries Research Institute (CFRI) in Trabzon (Turkey). These centers work on research on aquaculture techniques, promote best practices, and train local partners.