Addressing sustainable development by enhancing Black Sea fisheries Panel 2b: Fish well; Conference on blue economy in the Black Sea (15 Sept, Batumi) General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean

The role of fisheries in a Black Sea Blue Economy context: Fisheries & aquaculture Maritime equipment & ports Shipbuilding & repair Renewable energy Offshore energy Maritime & coastal tourism Maritime transport Approx economic impact of US$ 2 billion Sustain vulnerable coastal communities Provide livelihoods Ensure food security Ripple effect to other sectors: important for tourism and restaurant industries Local ecological knowledge Maintain cultural traditions

Main challenges for Black Sea fisheries Address decreasing and fluctuating catches Mitigate pollution and the effect of alien species Decrease incidental catches of vulnerable species Improve cooperation between riparian states Main challenges for Black Sea fisheries

The functioning of the GFCM in the region Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries Proposals by Member States SAC Decision making at the Commission Compliance assessment COC Working Group on the Black Sea WGBS Since the establishment of the WGBS (2012): Increased involvement of riparian states Improved advice on the status of stocks Enhanced cooperation with other organizations active in the region Increasing adoption of dedicated recommendations specific for the region

The Bucharest Declaration (Oct. 2016) Strategic view MID-TERM FISHERIES STRATEGY (2017-2020) Improve, by 2020, the sustainability of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries TARGET 1 Reverse the declining trend of fish stocks through strengthened scientific advice in support of management TARGET 2 Support livelihoods for coastal communities through sustainable small-scale fisheries TARGET 3 Curb IUU fishing through a regional plan of action TARGET 4 Minimize and mitigate unwanted interactions between fisheries and marine ecosystems and environment TARGET 5 Enhance capacity-building and cooperation The Bucharest Declaration (Oct. 2016)

Objectives of the Bucharest Declaration Strengthen collection of data (biological, economic and scientific) for Black Sea fisheries and ecosystems Enhanced cooperation in scientific and technical work, including among national institutes of riparian countries Periodical stock assessment of Black Sea iconic commercial species (e.g. turbot, anchovy, etc.) Organization of technical workshops and working groups on selected issues open also to stakeholders (e.g. industry) Increased efforts to stop unfair competition due to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) Boosting aquaculture (promote the role of national markets and increase the value of Black Sea farmed products)

The BlackSea4Fish project: Implementing the Bucharest Declaration The BlackSea4Fish project will set up and maintain a cooperative and technical regional network, including fishing associations in the region, to support the sustainable development of the fishing industry in the Black Sea Participatory approach: government officials, scientists, experts in fisheries management, NGOs and industry can be involved in the work of the project Expected outcomes: Improved advice in support of decision making, including through biological data collection, socio-economic surveys, etc. Execution of joint surveys at sea Assessment of IUU fishing Implementation of a bycatch monitoring programme

Thank you for your kind attention GFCM Secretariat - September 2017 General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean