General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) High-Level Meeting “A new vision for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea”
by Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
09/07/2021
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) High-Level Meeting
“A new vision for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea”
Welcome address by
Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General
9 July 2021
Honorable Ministers,
Mr Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. The new FAO Strategic Framework for the next decade provides a clear path to sustainably transform all agri-food systems - including fisheries and aquaculture - to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.
2. It supports the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and guides FAO’s work to achieve better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
3. I commend GFCM Members for their efforts to adopt a Fisheries and Aquaculture Strategy for the Mediterranean and Black Sea, for the next ten years.
4. I am pleased that the targets of the GFCM Strategy are in alignment with blue transformation; a pillar of FAO’s new Strategic Framework.
5. Blue transformation, intensifying sustainable aquaculture, transforming fisheries through better management and improving the efficiency and inclusiveness of aquatic foods value chains, will be critical to end hunger and poverty.
6. FAO looks forward to even more collaboration with GFCM Members and partners in that context.
Dear Colleagues,
7. The recent FAO-EU Strategic Dialogue reinforced our shared vision to promote efficient and sustainable management of biodiversity and natural resources, including fisheries.
8. We agreed on improved coordination to support interventions that:
• minimize the negative impact of fishing activities on marine ecosystems;
• promote more efficient fisheries management systems;
• develop market standards for fishery products;
• enhance the role of marine science; and
• eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing with a holistic design and approach.
9. The COVID-19 pandemic hit fisheries and aquaculture activities in the Mediterranean and Black Sea hard.
10. This resulted in substantial decreases in operations, production and drastic drops in prices for aquatic food products.
11. In building back, we must ensure that recovery efforts focus on the long-term sustainability and resilience of the sector.
12. In addition to the pandemic’s fallout, a number of challenges require our attention:
• the high overfishing rate; lack of developing sustainable and efficient aquaculture
• the incidence of IUU fishing;
• the need to protect small-scale fisheries livelihoods; and
• the application of technology and innovation on fisheries and aquaculture.
13. FAO is ready to support the efforts of GFCM and the Members to address these significant challenges including with its COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme.
14. We commend the Commission for harnessing opportunities to develop sustainable aquaculture, improve value chains and educate the general public on the importance of farmed products in their diets.
15. This ambitious agenda calls for the political willingness needed to change the narrative and to trigger, among others, investments and innovations.
16. The emphasis on institutional and technical cooperation is in line with the principles of the FAO Hand-in-Hand Initiative, and FAO’s South-South and Triangular Cooperation Programme
17. We look forward to working with all of you in tailoring FAO’s support to your regional context, taking into account the specificities and transformation needs of your fisheries and aquaculture sector.
18. I thank the GFCM Secretariat and the European Commission for co-organizing this meeting.
19. Let us join our efforts for a sustainable Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries and aquaculture.
Thank you.