Limassol, Cyprus. European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans Costas Kadis said illegal and unregulated fishing remains one of the biggest threats to the Mediterranean, calling for stronger regional cooperation. He spoke in Limassol during events marking European Maritime Day.
Illegal and unregulated fishing highlighted as key threat
Kadis said the issue is a central priority under the Mediterranean Pact, announced last October, which includes initiatives aimed at addressing challenges across the region.
“One of the major challenges is illegal and unregulated fishing, and for this issue in particular, the Mediterranean Pact includes a dedicated initiative for cooperation among all countries in the Mediterranean basin,” he said.
“I believe that through cooperation we can find solutions, and this is where we will invest in the coming period.”
European Maritime Day and EU policy actions
Kadis described European Maritime Day as the European Union’s flagship event for the maritime sector, bringing together policymakers, industry representatives and organisations linked to the sea and the blue economy.
He said the event also provided an opportunity to assess progress since the launch of the EU’s Ocean Pact last year, which includes more than 90 policy actions and initiatives.
“We will show where we stand in implementing all of these initiatives,” he said.
Attendance and Cyprus hosting details
Kadis said participation figures indicated this year’s event was expected to be the most successful in the initiative’s history in terms of attendance.
Deputy Shipping Minister Marina Hadjimanolis said Cyprus was pleased to host the conference in Limassol, with more than 900 delegates and 45 exhibitors taking part.
She said the Mediterranean Pact offered an opportunity for countries to address shared maritime challenges and warned that environmental sustainability was not a distant issue.
What steps do you think Mediterranean countries should prioritise to curb illegal and unregulated fishing?
