Commissioner Fischler: "Creation of Mediterranean-wide fisheries association is a very encouraging development"
"The creation recently in Tunis, of a trans-Mediterranean association of fisheries organisations is a very encouraging development in the search for sustainable fisheries in this region. Clearly, Mediterranean stakeholders agree on the need for international co-operation to combat illegal fishing practices"

commented Franz Fischler, Commissioner responsible for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries. The European Commission encouraged the creation of such an association in its 2002 proposal on an Action Plan for sustainable fisheries in the Mediterranean as part of the drive to increase stakeholders' involvement in the fisheries management process. This initiative received the support of the Ministerial Conference, held in Venice in November 2003. The new association, Medisamak, which has received financial support from the European Union, currently gathers organisations from 11 Mediterranean coastal states: Albania, Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Libya, Malta, Morocco, Spain and Tunisia.