IP/06/783
Brussels, 14 June 2006
Executive Director of Community Fisheries Control Agency appointed The administrative board of the Community Fisheries Control Agency, meeting in Vigo yesterday and today, have announced the appointment of Mr Harm Koster as Executive Director. Mr Koster, an economist from the Netherlands, has a solid background in fisheries control issues at European level. For seven years he headed the Inspection Unit in the European Commission's Directorate-General for Fisheries, which controls inspection activities in EU waters and areas covered by regional fisheries management agreements. He is currently Head of the Unit responsible for bilateral fisheries agreements.
“We are on track with the setting up of the Community Fisheries Control Agency. The appointment of the Chief Executive is a significant step forward to making the agency fully operational. This Agency is a cornerstone of our strategy to ensure sustainability in Europe’s fisheries sector. It will deliver a level playing field in control and monitoring of fisheries activities throughout the European Union and co-operate with our international partners on control and surveillance. This is essential to ensure better compliance by all concerned,” Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, said.
The Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), to be based in Vigo, in Galicia, Spain, was established in 2005. The main task of the Agency is to ensure operational co-ordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by the Member States. The Agency will co-ordinate the deployment of national means of control and inspection, which include vessels, aircraft and other equipment, as well as inspectors, observers and other staff.
The creation of the Agency does not change the distribution of control responsibilities at national and European level. The Member States remain responsible for implementation and enforcement of the Common Fisheries Policy, including inspection and surveillance. However, the Agency will help to deploy these national resources in a way that ensures that fishermen have a level playing field throughout Europe, that the rules of the Common Fisheries Policy are applied in an efficient and uniform manner, and that attention is focused on the most biologically sensitive fisheries. This will be achieved through the development of European inspection strategies, multinational inspection teams, and co-ordinated inspections of fish landings.
The Agency is led by an Administrative Board, made up of one representative per Member State and six representatives of the Commission. The Administrative Board nominates the Executive Director for a period of five years. To ensure transparency and regular contacts with stakeholders, the Agency will receive input from an Advisory Board, made up of stakeholders nominated by the Regional Advisory Councils (RACs).
The Agency will start its operations in Brussels, before moving to Vigo, in early 2008. The annual budget of the Agency is € 5 million. The Agency will employ 49 staff.
http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/news_corner/press/inf04_15_en.htm
