European Commissioner for Fisheries Costas Kadis and his entourage in front of the patrol vessel Ocean Sentinel

EU Fisheries Chief Hails Management Success During Limassol Visit

CYPRUS
Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 06:00 (GMT + 9)

Commissioner Kadis Praises EFCA's Role in Protecting Marine Resources

European Fisheries Commissioner Costas Kadis on Monday lauded the European Union’s fisheries management during a visit to Limassol, Cyprus. His remarks highlighted the significant work of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), founded in 2006, noting its critical role in promoting common standards for control, inspection, and surveillance across Europe.

The commissioner's visit was underscored by the presence of one of the agency’s patrol boats, the Ocean Sentinel, docked at the DP World terminal in Cyprus’ second-largest city. Kadis stated that these patrol boats “symbolise mutual trust and the EU’s unwavering commitment to the protection of marine resources, through joint development plans, within the framework of the Common Fisheries Policies.”

In its nearly 20 years of existence, the EFCA has "profoundly influenced fisheries management across Europe," according to Kadis. He emphasized the agency’s crucial vigilance in the Mediterranean, which has played a vital role in “combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing," particularly by third countries, thereby “significantly contributing to the sustainability of vital marine ecosystems.”

Cyprus’ Strategic Role and EFCA Inspection Numbers

Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou joined Kadis in Limassol, stressing Cyprus’ “strategic role... in protecting Europe’s marine resources and ensuring their sustainable management.” She reinforced the message by noting that the presence of the Ocean Sentinel "reinforces the message of our joint effort to combat IUU fishing and to protect marine ecosystems."

Maria Panayiotou and Susan Steele

EFCA Executive Director Susan Steele affirmed that the “sustainability of fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea... is vital for the EU.” Steele also provided concrete figures, revealing that the EFCA carried out a total of 33,360 inspections last year. She confirmed that this year's inspections are “continue[ing] to be carried out smoothly with very good participation from member states.”

The EFCA, formerly known as the Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA), coordinates the operational activities of EU member states in the fisheries sector and assists in applying the Common Fisheries Policy. Its headquarters are located in Vigo, on the Atlantic coast of the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia.

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