The European Commission and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) have secured a 10-year pledge to rebuild the Black Sea fish stocks, protect the region''s ecological and economic wealth and boost the development of sustainable Black Sea fisheries and aquaculture.
The Sofia Declaration is a practical example of the EU's efforts to promote sustainable fisheries through its neighbourhood policy and multilateral cooperation. It sets out a detailed work plan for the next 10 years, based on joint actions with ambitious but coherent and realistic targets.
Commissioner Karmenu Vella, responsible for the environment, fisheries and maritime affairs, said the pledge “is a historic step towards more sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Black Sea. While I congratulate everybody on the signature, I also stress that the real success must be measured by its implementation. The journey ahead is long, but our experience shows that it is worth the effort.
“Sustainable exploitation of our seas goes hand in hand with more viable livelihoods for our fishermen and thriving coastal communities. We now have a detailed plan. Let’s turn it into action.”
Bucharest Declaration
Signed by Black Sea ministerial representatives for Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey, together with the European Commission, the declaration is the follow-up of the Bucharest Declaration from October 2016.
It is the result of a European Commission strategy to establish a new dynamic in multilateral fisheries governance in the Black Sea through work done by the GFCM, on the basis of commonly agreed principles established in the GFCM mid-term strategy 2017-2020.
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