On Wednesday 6 April, the Administrative Board of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) decided to elect Fabrizio Donatella as its Chairperson.
As the new Chairperson of the Administrative Board, he is now the director of fisheries policy for the Atlantic, the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the outermost regions in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
The board also adopted the 2021 annual report of the agency, which is based in Vigo, Spain.
2021 was an outstanding year for EFCA. The agency resumed its primary role, organising operational coordination of fisheries control and inspection activities by EU Member States.
In 2021, the six joint deployment plans (Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization/North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, North Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Western Waters, Mediterranean and Atlantic) were implemented as planned, despite special measures and protocols due to Covid-19. The agency also contributed to the EU coast guard cooperation through the tripartite working agreement (TW) with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and Frontex.
In April 2021, the EU Council appointed Susan Steele as Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency (she took up her post in September 2021). (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)