More than 20 countries and the European Union have adopted 34 measures to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources, as well as the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.   

The forty-sixth session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which closed today in Split, Croatia, was one of the most productive in the organization’s history.

The GFCM is the regional fisheries management organization with the authority to make binding recommendations for fisheries and aquaculture development in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. As such, the annual session is a pivotal date in the sector’s calendar, and this year it saw representatives of the member countries of the GFCM joined by experts and observers from 12 partner organizations, including Global Fishing Watch, MEDAC, Oceana, OceanCare and WWF.

Every year, recommendations and resolutions are proposed and decisions adopted as GFCM members agree on a workplan for the years to come. All decisions are geared towards putting the long-term future of the region’s vital fisheries and aquaculture sector on a sustainable footing.

This year, a total of 34 decisions were unanimously adopted, including 24 binding recommendations, the highest number so far. The proposals centred on three main themes: improving fisheries management, addressing climate and environmental issues in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, and enhancing compliance. 

Croatian Agriculture Minister, Marija Vučković opening the session 
©GFCM/Nikola Brboleža ©GFCM/Dominique Bourdenet

Science-based management continues to grow

Over the last decade, the GFCM has introduced science-based multiannual management plans for key commercial stocks, with a total of 10 now in operation. These plans guide the implementation of measures to achieve and maintain a sustainable exploitation of fishery resources, counteracting overfishing and ensuring high and long-term yields.  

©GFCM/Nikola Brboleža

“Data from the field show that the plans are making a real difference towards sustainability targets,” said Valérie Lainé, head of the fisheries management unit for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission. “It’s very encouraging to see the impact of our shared efforts.”

A series of proposals, based on robust and comprehensive scientific advice from GFCM subsidiary bodies, were adopted in Split to further refine the reach and effectiveness of the plans in operation. 

Increased support for environmental measures

Productive fisheries depend on a healthy ocean, and along with the measures aimed directly at commercial fish stocks, a series of recommendations towards minimizing fishery impacts on the wider marine environment were also brought to the negotiating table. A Regional Plan of Action to protect vulnerable species including seabirds, cetaceans and sea turtles was agreed upon; meanwhile, critically endangered species such as European eel and Black Sea sturgeons received increased levels of protection.  

©GFCM/Tamer Günal

Vulnerable marine environments were also in the frame of discussions, with members agreeing on a roadmap for the establishment of a fisheries restricted area to protect the fragile Cabliers coral mounts of the Alboran Sea. And as the world strives to cut greenhouse gas emissions under the Paris Agreement, the GFCM has launched a long-term initiative towards the decarbonization of the regional fishing fleet. 

As they did for the fishing fleet, participants at the session made a series of proposals for the decarbonization of the aquaculture sector, including the promotion of sustainable energy sources, carbon sequestration techniques and low-impact production methods, as well as launching a regional climate adaptation plan to make the sector more resilient to change in a warming world.

Stronger enforcement capabilities

The final area under the spotlight at the forty-sixth session was compliance – that is, ensuring that GFCM decisions are effectively implemented and that member countries meet the commitments they have made for the development and regulation of their fisheries and aquaculture operations. Important milestones were set in many areas, and new tools to ensure a culture of compliance were adopted. Two permanent inspection and surveillance schemes were launched for international waters, while new catch documentation schemes for commercially important Black Sea turbot and Mediterranean red coral will increase accountability and contribute to the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.  

©GFCM/Nikola Brboleža

Furthermore, a new mechanism was created to foster a culture of compliance in the region, through the adoption of a key decision that would allow the compliance committee to better identify cases of non-compliance, their sources and, most importantly, appropriate follow-up actions required to prevent and mitigate them. Strong political commitment was also shown in relation to the establishment of a regional vessel monitoring and controls system by GFCM at its next annual session.

Albania, Morocco, Türkiye and the European Union received GFCM Compliance Awards for fully transposing all GFCM recommendations and resolutions into national legislation and correctly reporting data.

For GFCM Executive Secretary Miguel Bernal, who marked his first year in the post at the forty-sixth session, the successful adoption of a record number of decisions is something for members to be proud of. “By definition, making plans for the conservation and sustainable use of shared marine resources depends on trust and collaboration between many different stakeholders,” he commented. “I’m delighted by the ambitious attitude our members brought to the session this year, coming together to achieve common aims and objectives. I also commend the groundwork laid by countries in our technical advisory bodies: it’s their knowledge and expertise that give our members the foundation they need to make more and better decisions about our collective future.” 

©GFCM/Ante Gugić

DECISIONS OF THE 46^th SESSION OF THE GFCM

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/1 on the launch of pilot projects for the revision of the deep-water fisheries restricted area in the Mediterranean Sea towards the adoption of adequate protection and management measures

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/16 on a long-term management plan for European eel in the Mediterranean Sea, repealing Recommendations GFCM/45/2022/1 and GFCM/42/2018/1

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/13 on a management plan for the sustainable exploitation of red coral in the Mediterranean Sea, amending Recommendations GFCM/45/2022/2 and GFCM/43/2019/4

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/14 establishing a multiannual management plan for the sustainable exploitation of common dolphinfish in the Mediterranean Sea, repealing Recommendations GFCM/30/2006/2, GFCM/43/2019/1 and GFCM/44/2021/11

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/15 on the revision of the minimum conservation reference size for blackspot seabream in the Alboran Sea (geographical subareas 1 to 3), amending Recommendation GFCM/45/2022/3

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/2 on a roadmap for the implementation of a fisheries restricted area in the Cabliers coral mound in the Alboran Sea towards the adoption of adequate protection and management measures, amending Resolution GFCM/45/2022/4

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/1 on the establishment of a fisheries restricted area in the Gulf of Lion (geographical subarea 7) to protect spawning aggregations and deep-sea sensitive habitats, repealing Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/5

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/2 on the definition of a minimum conservation reference size for giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp in the Strait of Sicily (geographical subareas 12 to 16)

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/3 on the definition of a minimum conservation reference size for giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp in the Ionian Sea (geographical subareas 19 to 21)

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/4 on the definition of a minimum conservation reference size for giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp in the Levant Sea (geographical subareas 24 to 27)

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/5 on the extension of the transitional fishing regime and the establishment of catch limits in 2024 for small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic Sea (geographical subareas 17 and 18), stemming from Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/20

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/6 on the implementation of a fishing effort regime in 2024 for key demersal stocks in the Adriatic Sea (geographical subareas 17 and 18), stemming from Recommendation GFCM/43/2019/5

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/7 on the extension of the multiannual management plan for turbot fisheries in the Black Sea (geographical subarea 29), amending Recommendation GFCM/41/2017/4

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/8 on the extension of management measures for sustainable piked dogfish fisheries in the Black Sea (geographical subarea 29), amending Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/10

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/9 on the extension of the regional research programme for rapa whelk fisheries in the Black Sea (geographical subarea 29), amending Recommendations GFCM/45/2022/10 and GFCM/42/2028/9

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/10 on the extension of management measures for the sustainable exploitation of European sprat in the Black Sea (geographical subarea 29), amending Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/9

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/3 on the extension of measures for the mitigation of fisheries impacts for the conservation of sturgeons in the Black Sea (geographical subarea 29), amending Resolution GFCM/44/2021/5

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/4 on a regional plan of action to monitor and mitigate interactions between fisheries and vulnerable species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/11 on the mitigation of bottlenose dolphin depredation in small pelagic fisheries in the southern Alboran Sea (geographical subarea 3)

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/5 on a roadmap towards increased decarbonization of fishing activities in the Mediterranean Sea

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/12 on the establishment of a regional fishing capacity management plan

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/6 on the implementation of environmental monitoring programmes for aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/8 on the reduction of plastic use and best management of waste in aquaculture

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/7 on decarbonization and sustainable feed production in aquaculture

Resolution GFCM/46/2023/9 on climate-resilient aquaculture

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/17 on an international joint inspection and surveillance scheme for common dolphinfish fisheries outside waters under national jurisdiction in the Mediterranean Sea

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/18 on an international joint inspection and surveillance scheme outside waters under national jurisdiction in the Adriatic Sea (geographical subareas 17 and 18)

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/19 on the establishment of a catch documentation scheme for red coral in the Mediterranean Sea

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/20 on the establishment of a catch documentation scheme for turbot in the Black Sea (geographical subarea 29)

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/21 on vessel sightings, amending Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/21

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/22 on a GFCM schedule addressing compliance issues and corresponding actions, repealing Resolutions GFCM/44/2021/13 and GFCM/43/2019/5

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/23 clarifying the application of compliance recommendations and establishing a compliance and capacity inventory to support the work of the Compliance Committee

Resolution GFCM/45/2023/10 on the restriction and prohibition of the use of driftnets in the Mediterranean Sea

Recommendation GFCM/46/2023/24 on the establishment of a list of vessels presumed to have carried out illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, amending Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/19