The work of the European Union in the management of the sea has been presented at the World Fishing Exhibition during Europe’s Day. The event counted on the speeches of Willem de Ruiter, Director of the EMSA, Harm Koster, Director of the CFCA, Carlos López Font, local spokesperson and Rosa Quintana, Galician Regional Minister of the Sea, which were moderated by Alfonso Paz-Andrade.

Willem de Ruiter, Director of the European Maritime Safety Agency, recalled the incident of the ‘Prestige’ vessel and stated that ‘by working together, Europe is more prepared now than seven years ago’ to face up incidents like this. He praised the work of the clean sea net and the vessel ‘Ría de Vigo’, which carry out control and surveillance tasks. Finally, he explained that ‘all together we will achieve safer seas and cleaner oceans’.

On the other hand, Harm Koster, Director of the Community Fisheries Control Agency, highlighted the inspection and control activities carried out co-ordinately with the 27 Member States of the European Union. He stated that ‘sustainable fisheries is what we all are aiming at’ and explained that the new regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy will come into force in January 2010.

Finally, the Galician Regional Minister of the Sea, Rosa Quintana, emphasized that Europe is a development engine and a guide for the future. She stated that ‘we have to recover the illusion for the sea’ and that the sea has provided Galicia with wealth for a really long time, and the Galician Regional Ministry of the Sea will work to maintain this situation.

The event was also attended by Juan Martín Fragueiro, Secretary General of the Sea, and Antolín Sánchez Presedo, Member of the European Parliament.