November 25 (BTA) - The Executive Committee of the non-governmental, non-profit Black Sea Advisory Council (BlSAC) met here on November 24 and 25 with the participation of representatives of Bulgaria, Romania and the European Commission.

Addressing the event, Bulgaria's Deputy Agriculture, Food and Forestry Minister Georgi Sabev said, quoted by his Ministry in a press release on Thursday, that it is crucial to identify the right balance between the fisheries policy and environmental protection in the Black Sea. Sabev further stressed the need of joint initiatives and efforts from all Black Sea countries to mitigate the adverse human impact and climate change.

"Regional-level coordination would undoubtedly be more effective than each country taking individual action," the Deputy Minister pointed out. In his words, thanks to the joint efforts made so far, the sustainability of fisheries in the region continues to increase.

Sabev listed ensuring sound science, increasing the scientific knowledge and developing the research capacity as key priorities for Bulgaria for the future of fisheries and aquaculture in the Black Sea. He pointed to the key importance of ensuring a level playing field for applying the regional measures by all coastal states and zero tolerance of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. It is just as important to identify measures for addressing the negative effects of climate change and mitigate the impact on vulnerable species and habitats because they have a direct bearing on achieving sustainable fisheries in the Black Sea.

The Varna-based BlSAC was established in 2015 for the purpose of keeping the European Commission and EU Member States informed of the tendencies and problems related to the management and socio-economic aspects of fisheries and aquaculture in its geographical area. DS/LG
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