Ukraine joins top international marine body

Ukraine has joined an international group that protects marine waters.

It has become the 24^th member of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

 The Commission said it “warmly welcomed” Ukraine as its new contracting party, “marking a significant step forward” in regional co=operation in the Black Sea.

The GFCM is a regional fisheries management organization operating under the framework of FAO, whose competence extends over all marine waters of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Its main objective is to ensure the conservation and the sustainable use of living marine resources, as well as the sustainable development of aquaculture.  

Taras Vysotsky, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, said, “This is a historic moment for Ukraine.

“Full participation in the work of the GFCM opens up new opportunities for the development of fisheries, aquaculture and the conservation of marine ecosystems of the Black Sea. 

"We are ready to actively participate in the implementation of the GFCM's mission – the effective management of bioresources and support for the sustainable development of coastal communities,” said Vysotsky.

Since 2015, Ukraine had been a cooperating non-contracting party of the GFCM, contributing, said Vysotsky, significantly to regional fisheries initiatives for assessing and restoring Black Sea commercial stocks.

“It supported sustainable aquaculture through capacity-development programmes, joined regional dialogues to strengthen MCS and aligned national legislation with GFCM standards.”

Ukraine was admitted during the forty-eighth session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The meeting, hosted by Spain in Málaga, was opened by Luis Planas, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Spain, Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans of the European Commission, Francisco de la Torre Prados, Mayor of Málaga, and Roland Kristo, Chairperson of the GFCM. 

As the regional body in charge of managing fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the GFCM reviewed proposals for recommendations and resolutions based on the best available scientific advice. 

This year, 12 decisions were adopted.

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