General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean - GFCM

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean is a regional fisheries management organization. With 22 member countries & the EU, its main objective is to ensure the conservation and the sustainable use of living marine resources as well as the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea.

 

Latest news

Decarbonization workshop marks launch of key GFCM initiative

18/3/2023 | This week, the GFCM held its first workshop on decarbonization – a significant new theme for the fishing sector in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.  


MAVA Foundation ends with game-changing results

9/3/2023 | This week sees the famous MAVA Foundation officially cease its operations.  


Women are expanding their role in fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

8/3/2023 | International Women’s Day 2023 is an opportunity to reflect on the contribution of women to the sector..


Fishers and scientists pledge common efforts to preserve critically endangered European eel

3/3/2023 | Dozens of fishers, scientists and administrators met this week in Orbetello, Italy to share knowledge and discuss the future of the European eel fishery in the Mediterranean Sea.


The future of aquaculture rests on women: United Nations International Day of Women and Girls in Science

11/2/2023 | To mark this day we highlight four young female researchers from Italy, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye. 


Mitigation solutions aim to reduce dolphin depredation in the Mediterranean

27/1/2023 | Across the Mediterranean Sea, they approach fishing vessels and attempt to remove catch directly from fishing gear. The phenomenon is called depredation, and has been a growing concern for fishers over the last few decades. 


Closing an important year to welcome 2023 on solid bases

29/12/2022 | Discover the highlights of the year, key publications and all the activities that ensure our actions continue to translate into significant advances in addressing current and future challenges.


KAUST, MEWA and the GFCM working hand in hand for algae innovation

13/12/2022 | The International Workshop of Algae Innovation, hosted at KAUST, was held with the objective of increasing awareness on the potential of algae cultivation in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Red Sea regions.


Overfishing falls in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, but fisheries resources remain under significant stress

7/12/2022 | The latest edition of The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries (SoMFi) found excessive exploitation has diminished in the region, particularly for key species subject to multilateral management plans.


Meet the new Executive Secretary of the GFCM: Dr Miguel Bernal 

1/12/2022 | After a selection process overseen by FAO management and GFCM contracting parties, the nomination of Miguel Bernal by FAO Director-General Dr Qu Dongyu was unanimously approved at the forty-fifth session of the GFCM.


The human face behind the RPOA-SSF: 9 topics, 9 features

21/11/2022 | Discover the latest features of the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea: Scientific research, SSF management measures and Capacity building.


Countries take concrete steps toward achieving sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

14/11/2022 |More than twenty countries and the European Union adopted 21 measures to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of marine living resources.


The GFCM marks its 70th anniversary

07/11/2022 | The GFCM has evolved from a tool for countries to discuss fishery-related issues to a commission which adopts binding recommendations for fisheries and aquaculture in the region,” says Roland Kristo.


GFCM celebrates its 70th year with the launch of a new logo

07/11/2022 |The new logo and accompanying visual elements communicate the values enshrined in the GFCM’s mandate as a modern regional fisheries management organization.


International Symposium on Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences looks forward to a more innovative aquaculture sector

05/11/2022 |Nearly 200 experts, scientists and academics from 23 countries gathered in Trabzon, Türkiye, to attend the SOFAS 2022.


GFCM-Lex project takes stock of important achievements with a region-wide legal framework established

12/10/2022 |This workshop marked the final event under the umbrella of the current GFCM-Lex project.


Restorative aquaculture: a way forward for sea urchins in the Mediterranean

4/10/2022 |Sea urchins are very sensitive to environmental conditions, especially in the early stages of life, and they require intensive monitoring and special attention during the production process. 


Empowering young women to lead a sustainable aquaculture sector in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

19/09/2022 |A seven-day training took 21 participants from 16 countries, selected among 150 applicants, on a tour of some of the most successful and innovative aquaculture farms in Tunisia. 


Invasive species are changing the nature of the Mediterranean Sea

15/09/2022 |The Mediterranean Sea is being invaded by hundreds of fish, jellyfish, prawns and other marine species from outside the region, causing concern about the threat they pose to marine ecosystems and local fishing communities.


SSF Summit: more than 200 fishers from all continents met in Rome to celebrate IYAFA

04/09/2022 | Fishers, fisheries associations, non-governmental organizations and government representatives highlight the role SSF plays in global food production and call for increased support to improve their sustainability and social well-being.


GFCM unveils MedSea4Fish, an ambitious fisheries programme to continue turning the corner on overexploitation in Mediterranean Sea

21/06/2022 |MedSea4Fish aims to better equip and skill over 20 GFCM countries as well as spur actions at the national, subregional and regional levels.


Tackling illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

05/06/2022 | Whilst we are yet to know the full extent of IUU fishing’s impacts on fish stocks and marine resources in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, we do know that, every year, up to 26 million tonnes of fish are caught as a result of IUU fishing globally.

View all GFCM news.