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Oceans and fisheries
News announcement18 November 2019Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

How to provide fish in a sustainable manner to a growing population?

The EU will attend the “International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability – Strengthening the Science-Policy Nexus” organised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome from 18 to 21 November.

The EU, together with international partners, will discuss three key issues:

  • What is the real state of fisheries sustainability globally and regionally?
  • What are the challenges to achieve full sustainability?
  • And what does society expect from fisheries in the 21st century?

This FAO initiative, supported financially by the European Commission, will carry further the reflection on the contribution of fisheries towards the Agenda 2030 and is consistent with the EU’s International Ocean Governance agenda.

On 21 November, Veronika Veits (Director at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission), will participate in the discussion on policy opportunities for fisheries in the 21st century.

Fisheries and aquaculture are of critical importance for the food, nutrition and employment of millions of people, many of whom struggle to maintain reasonable livelihoods. But supplying seafood in a sustainable manner to a constantly growing population is challenging, particularly in a context where fisheries is affected by environmental degradation and climate change. Looking at all aspects of fisheries (food security, biodiversity, climate change, technologies, science, policy management), the Symposium will address the challenges faced by scientists and managers in achieving sustainable fisheries amidst a changing landscape.

It is expected that the Symposium will identify pathways to strengthen the interplay of science and policy in fisheries production, management and trade, in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the perspective of the UN Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainable development.

Its outcome will feed a political declaration on the development of a new vision for fisheries sustainability in the 21st century, to be adopted on the occasion of the FAO Committee on Fisheries meeting in July 2020.

More information

International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability – Strengthening the Science-Policy Nexus

Details

Publication date
18 November 2019
Author
Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries