Minister for Marine Charlie McConalogue has contributed to a new film marking the 20th anniversary of the formation of the North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC).
EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius has also participated in the film.
“The ocean’s complex systems show us that nothing exists in isolation, nor can decisions be made in isolation,”McConalogue says.
“In order to solve the complex issues facing us, we all, fishers, scientists, environmental NGOs, policymakers and politicians, need to work together. Our aim therefore must be to sustainably manage our marine resources, including our fish stocks, so they can continue to support our fishers, coastal communities and citizens long into the future,” he says.
The NWWAC is an influential multi-stakeholder body providing strategic advice to the European Commission and member states in support of sustainable fisheries management.
The film reflects on two decades of contributions towards the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
Commissioner Sinkevičius says that “over two decades, advisory councils have had a pivotal role in the way fisheries policy has evolved”.
“They are a source of useful advice to the Commission and to the member states, serving as platforms for open discussion and contributing to regionalised approaches,”he says.
“ In many ways, fisheries management under the EU Common Fisheries Policy has become the gold standard around the world. Advisory councils play an important role in this process, delivering on sustainability in the policy and the stability for the fisheries sector,”he says.
The advisory council chair Emiel Brouckaert said that “since its inception, the NWWAC has been recognised as a key stakeholder in the implementation of the CFP”.
“The advisory council has brought together and aligned views of the fishing industry, environmental NGOs and other civil society organisations, fostering dialogue, building trust, and integrating stakeholder knowledge into decision-making processes ensuring sustainable management of marine resources in the Northeast Atlantic,”Brouckaert said.
“This isn’t easy work, but our members and secretariat care deeply about the importance of balanced, stakeholder-driven input into policy. It’s been very important to us to celebrate this milestone in our advisory council’s history,” Brouckaert added.
In the past 12 months the NWWAC has issued 28 pieces of advice and held 41 meetings.
It says it “remains committed to promoting dialogue, collaboration, consensus-building and sustainable practices for the benefit of present and future generations”.
The film is available on the NWWAC website and below