Yesterday, DGRM chaired the 1st meeting of the South Western Waters Group (commonly identified by the acronym “SWW” – South Western Waters Group) of 2022, through the Deputy Director-General, Isabel Ventura.
 
Portugal assumed the presidency of the Southern Western Waters Group on January 1, 2020, this Group being made up of representatives of five Member States (MS) of the European Union with fishing interests in the Bay of Biscay and Iberian Peninsula: Portugal, Spain , France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The presidency rotates among the three MS with the greatest representation in fisheries in the aforementioned areas: France, Spain and Portugal.

This Group was created in 2013, when the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) was last amended, with the aim of promoting fisheries management, on a basis of greater regional proximity, allowing the adoption of measures more in line with the specificities of each region. and promoting greater involvement of partners. The initial mission of this Group focused on the specific regulation of the Duty of Discharge, one of the measures introduced by the revision of the PCP that took place in 2013, but in recent years it has been extended.

In yesterday's meeting, which took place under the Portuguese presidency, were involved, in addition to representatives of DG MARE, scientific entities and senior leaders of the Fisheries Administration of France, Spain and Belgium, as well as elements of the Advisory Councils with interests in south western waters. and NGO representatives.

After the debate between the parties involved, a consensus was reached and the Work Program for 2022 was approved, which highlights the presentation by the Group of joint recommendations on exemptions from the Duty to Discharge, as well as measures that should be implemented to reduce the accidental capture of cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay and protection measures for the eel. There was also a commitment on the part of the participants to disclose to the sector the online questionnaire, regarding the functioning of the Common Fisheries Policy and the Common Organization of Markets (COM), which will have to be answered by the 14th of March, with a view to enable the European Commission to prepare a report that will form the basis for reviewing the CFP and COM