On 4 September, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) established a new technical unit designed to strengthen scientific cooperation and promote sustainable fisheries management in the Adriatic Sea.
“We are here in Split,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said during an inauguration ceremony in Split, Croatia. “But we are not split - we are in fact more united towards efficient, inclusive and sustainable approaches to the fisheries in the Adriatic Sea."
Qu went on to note that the challenges caused by increasing demand for aquatic foods, growing fishing pressure, and climate change require countries to cooperate and support science-based decision-making.
“Strong science remains at the center of progress,” Qu said.
The new technical unit will act as a permanent subregional presence with GFCM promoting scientific cooperation and improved fisheries management coordination between Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro, and Slovenia. It will also contribute technical expertise and institutional capacity to MedSea4Fish.
The Adriatic Sea Technical Unit will be hosted by the Croatian government in Split.
“The establishment of the new Technical Unit therefore represents more than an institutional milestone,” FAO noted in its release. “It is an investment in science, cooperation, and the sustainable future of the Adriatic region.”
