European Fisheries Control Agency

EFCA is governed by an Administrative Board, which consists of six representatives of the European Commission and one representative per member state. The agency is managed by an Executive Director.

The Board sets the Agency's priorities and work program, adopts its budget once it has been approved by the European Parliament and the Council, reports to the Member States and the European institutions and appoints the Executive Director. In addition, the Board adopts a multi-annual approach and a staff policy plan, and sets indicators to monitor the implementation of the work plan.

Board members are appointed on an individual basis for a renewable five-year term. They all have relevant experience and expertise in the field of fisheries control and inspection.

The Board elects a Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson from among its members for a renewable three-year term. Meetings are usually held twice a year.[5]

The Executive Director is responsible for the execution of the agency's operational activities and general management. He drafts the annual budget proposal and work program following consultation with the Commission and national authorities. He answers to the Administrative Board. The Executive Director is appointed for a renewable five-year term.[6]

The Advisory Board advises the Executive Director of the Agency and ensures close cooperation with stakeholders. The Advisory Board is composed of representatives of the Advisory Councils, on the basis of one representative designated by each Advisory Council. The meetings of the Advisory Board are chaired by the Executive Director.

A representative of the Advisory Board takes part in the deliberations of the Administrative Board meetings without the right to vote. The Advisory Board representative in the EFCA Administrative Board is appointed in accordance with the yearly rotation system agreed by its members.

The Advisory Councils are stakeholdered organisations composed of representatives from the industry and other groups of interest. In addition to the seven existing Advisory Councils below, the new CFP foresees the creation of four new Advisory Councils for the Black Sea, Aquaculture, Markets and Outermost regions.

• Baltic Sea Advisory Council (BSAC)
• South Western Waters Advisory Council (SWWAC)
• Long Distance Advisory Council (LDAC)
• Mediterranean Advisory Council (MEDAC)
• Pelagic Advisory Council (Pelagic AC)
• North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC)
• North Sea Advisory Council (NSAC)

The Advisory Councils provide the European Commission and EU countries with recommendations on fisheries management matters.[7]

The Agency coordinates activities on land and in Community and international waters, as appropriate. This is done through the joint deployment plans (JDPs), the vehicle through which the EFCA organizes the deployment of national human and material means of control and inspection pooled by Member States. The deployment of pooled national means is coordinated by the EFCA through coordination centers in charge in a Member State or the presence of national coordinators is at EFCA premises.

While Member States are responsible for applying the rules on their own territory, in waters under their sovereignty and jurisdiction and on fishing vessels flying their flag, wheresoever their activity is carried out, the Agency has been designed to act as a facilitator enhancing cooperation and ensuring that legislation is implemented in a systematic, uniform and effective way.[8]

EFCA supports the European Union in the international dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy and the fight against Illegal Unregulated and Undeclared (IUU) activities. According to the CFP regulation, the Agency assists the Union in cooperating with third countries and international organisations dealing with fisheries, including RFMOs, to strengthen operational coordination and compliance.[9]

Sustainable fisheries agreements with non-European Union countries are negotiated and concluded by the Commission on behalf of the European Union. At the request of the Commission, the European Fisheries Control Agency provides capacity building support on fisheries control and inspection to these countries with which the European Union has a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement.

In accordance with its mandate, the European Fisheries Control Agency assists Member States to fulfill their obligations by organizing workshops and seminars for national administrations on the implementation of the IUU Regulation. EFCA also supports the European Commission as requested in evaluation missions to third countries in the framework of the IUU Regulation.

During 2016, the coordination of the ongoing Joint Deployment Plans (JDPs) and other operational plans in support of the Member States, including the international dimension, reached close to 19,500 inspections (from 17,000 in 2015) which identified 665 suspected infringements.[10]