Sustainable fisheries: EFCA presents new patrol vessels

The European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) presented three new patrol vessels that will strengthen fisheries inspections in European and international waters. The vessels will reinforce EFCA’s operational capacity in the monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries, as required by the common fisheries policy (CFP). They will be deployed primarily as fisheries patrol vessels to support the EU Member States in the various joint deployment plans across the EU sea basins, as well as within North Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) and North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) areas, and the Mediterranean under the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). Named Ocean Guardian, Ocean Protector and Ocean Sentinel and flying the Portuguese flag, the vessels will also support other coast guard functions including maritime surveillance and pollution response.