EU NAVFOR and DG MARE work together to combat illegal fishing off the Somali coast
This week, a representative of EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA met with Mr. Julien Daudu, policy Officer for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU) of the European Commission’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
The meeting was a regular one that occurs between EU NAVFOR and DG MARE once every three months. During these meetings, EU NAVFOR Somalia Operation ATALANTA staff report the past quarter’s accumulated observations of fishing activities off the coast of Somalia. During this meeting with the DG MARE, EU NAVFOR presented more than 300 fishing-related observations that had been documented over the past three months.
This information sharing between EU NAVFOR and the European Commission is crucial as provides the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) with factual data on fishing activity with regards to illegal, unreported and unregulated fisheries. Furthermore, it allows the appropriate authorities to then take action against offenders who have violated the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Somalia. This collaboration is a great example of effective cooperation between the European Commission and EU NAVFOR Somalia.
In accordance with the Operation ATALANTA mandate, EU NAVFOR air and naval assets are constantly collecting data regarding fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.
