Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, will visit Dublin and Galway from 22 to 23 September 2011 to present and discuss with Irish stakeholders the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), proposed by the Commission in July.
The new policy aims at preserving fish stocks at sustainable levels for the benefit of current and future generations by managing fisheries in a responsible, science-based way. On 22 September, the Commissioner will speak at the Institute of International and European Affairs on the gains that Ireland can expect from a reformed CFP. Later during the day Commissioner Damanaki will meet Simon Coveney, Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food, and representatives of the Irish fishing industry and civil society. On 23 September, Commissioner Damanaki, together with Commissioner for Research and Innovation, Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, will visit the Marine Institute in Co. Galway. The visit will be concluded by a roundtable on Maritime Policy in Ireland with the representatives of Irish maritime administration and industries. Particular focus will be on innovative industries and research in areas such as renewable energy, deep-sea mining, or algal bio-fuels. The Commissioner will also gauge the views of Irish stakeholders on the upcoming Atlantic Strategy under the Integrated Maritime Policy, which the Commission is currently drawing up.
