Fisheries Control Agency to get stronger remit

摘要

The European Commission will present proposals in October 2008 to strengthen fisheries control and surveillance measures and procedures, a key section of which will strengthen the remit of the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Joe Borg has said. He was speaking at the official inauguration, on 19 July in Vigo, of the agency's seat. The announcement came in response to the plea to that effect by Marcelos Vasconcelos, chairman of the agency's board. After a little over a year in operation, the CFCA has proved its worth not only as a fully-fledged EU body, but also on the ground, through the coordination of member states' control and surveillance activities. It is the "natural answer" to needs in terms of monitoring compliance and combating illegal fisheries, noted Marcelos Vasconcelos. He added, however, that "we mustn't forget that its inter- vention capacities are strictly limited".