site.btaBulgaria Working for Reliable System for Joint Control of Fisheries with Romania in Black Sea, Says Deputy Agriculture Minister

During a working meeting with the Executive Director of the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) Susan Steele, held in Burgas, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Deyan Stratev said that Bulgaria is working for a reliable system for joint control of fisheries with Romania in the Black Sea. This system should also be a guarantor for achieving the objectives of the European Union in fisheries for this sea basin, he added. The working group meeting aims to consider proposals initiated by Bulgaria to change and optimize the implementation of the Black Sea Joint Deployment Plan (JDP).

Deputy Minister Stratev explained that the changes will improve texts from the JDP regarding a number of fisheries control conditions. "The change to the Joint Deployment Plan in the Black Sea makes the fulfillment of a number of conditions even more strict, since this plan is accepted and controlled by the EFCA," the Deputy Minister was adamant. He added that in this way the equal application of the JDP will be guaranteed in the joint control in the field of fisheries in the Black Sea between Bulgaria and Romania.

During the working visit, a tour was made of the fishing village of Chengene Skele near Burgas, where a number of projects financed under the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Programme 2014-2020 have been implemented. The visit also included the regional office of the technical unit of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean and Black Sea, located at the port in the city of Burgas.

On the initiative of EFCA, a meeting was also held with the Maritime Administration and Border Police in the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EAFA).
The head of EFCA's Strategy and Cooperation department, Pedro Galache, the Director of the Maritime Policy and Inspections Directorate at the National Agency for Fishery and Aquaculture, Gabriel Popescu, EAFA Executive Director Dr. Nikolay Georgiev, participated in the meetings, as well as experts from the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Agriculture and Food Ministry and the Permanent Representation of Bulgaria in the EU