EFCA hosted a training for fisheries monitoring centre (FMC) operators in EFCA in the context of the e-FishMed project initiated by the European Commission and financed under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF)and the EU funded project within the framework of the Blue Economy — Fisheries and Aquaculture Programme (Algeria) RESUP Algeria project.
EFCA trained participants in using and analysing Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), and other modern control technologies such as satellite imagery. FMC operators from Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia participated in the training. They had the opportunity to share experiences and best practices and to visit the EFCA Control Centre.
The training is one of the capacity-building activities implemented by EFCA in the context of the two projects, catalyst for a stronger cooperation on fisheries control, the fight against IUU fishing and sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean region.
The e-FishMed project aims to improve monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries activities through a better common understanding of the rules to be applied. To that end the project already delivered:
- a common training curriculum as a common basis for training in fisheries control matters
- an e-learning platform that hosts e-learning courses and training material to the benefit of 159 fisheries officials from Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia
- an exchange programme that promotes further collaboration and sharing of expertise between northern and southern Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic countries, and cooperation in the fight against IUU.
The RESUP Algeria project supports Algerian authorities in their efforts to monitor conservation and management measures adopted at international, regional, and national levels and to combat IUU fishing. To that end the project is supporting Algeria:
- updating national legislation in accordance with international and regional standards for fisheries control and surveillance
- providing technical assistance to equip fishing vessels with AIS/VMS systems and to set up a fishing monitoring centre.
Source : EFCA
