Brussels, 12/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - Outgoing EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Joe Borg ended his term of office on a high note. He received the Kungsfenan Swedish Seafood Award in Gothenburg on Thursday 11 February. The award was given for his vital work, over the past five years, “to put EU fisheries on a sustainable footing”, the Commission says in a press release. Borg is also taking part in two seminars during which he will talk of the work carried out at European level to promote sustainable development in fisheries and maritime policy.
“Over the past five years, economic, social and environmental: sustainability have been at the heart of our approach to fisheries in order to guarantee a viable future for our fishermen and the marine resources they harvest. I am gratified that you have considered my efforts worthy of this prestigious award. It means a great deal to me. It has been a privilege to serve as Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and fisheries,” Borg said, in a press release. The Kungsfenan, first awarded in 2002, is conferred every year on individuals, organisations or institutions in two categories - sustainable fisheries and maritime gastronomy.
Borg will donate his share of the prize money - 100,000 Swedish Kronor (around €10,000) - to Handicap International, an international NGO which operates in 60 countries. The money will go to support their Mine Risk Education (MRE) project in the Agadez region of Niger which focuses on capacity-building and preventing accidents due to landmines in the region.
And then there were three! The Kungsfenan is the third award Borg has received as European Commissioner in recent months. In October 2009, he received the Elisabeth Mann Borgese Award from the government of Schleswig-Holstein for his efforts in the creation of an Integrated Maritime Policy for the EU. He also won the 2009 Lloyd's List Greek Shipping Award as Internal Personality of the Year, in recognition of his outstanding work over the last five years in shaping the same Integrated Maritime Policy.
The Namibian Fisheries and Natural Resources Minister, Dr Abraham Iyambo, received the 2009 Kungsfenan award in the sustainable fishing category for his work in developing the sustainable administration of Namibia's fishing resources. (http://www.kungsfenan.se/eng/index.html ) (L.C./transl.rt)