Successfully implemented project “Strengthening control and management in fisheries”
The consortium of Tragsatec from Spain and StudioLasso from Montenegro has implemented the project “Enhancing the control and management of fisheries” for the past 18 months. This project is financed through the European Union Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) in the total amount of 450,000€.
The overall objective of the project was to improve the fisheries information system, control and management of the fisheries, as well as the safety of navigation on fishing vessels in Montenegro.
The project has been implemented in three phases:
The first phase of the project has centred on the compliance of the Montenegrin Fisheries Information System with the new rules of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union and its upgrading with:
Stakeholders register
Vessel and licences register
Electronic logbook
Sale notes system
Catch certificate system
Biological and sampling data register.
The implementation of the first phase has significantly improved the system of control and fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, of selling fish and other marine species.
The project enabled the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to set up data warehouse and statistics IS for its internal needs and the needs of the European and United Nations stakeholders.
During the second implementation period the focus was to support professional fishermen, license holders for commercial fishing with vessels over 10 meters’ length overall, and on the acquisition and installation of AIS devices. The exchange of data between the Fisheries Information System of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Monitoring System of the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs has also been established during this phase. In this way, the safety of navigation on fishing vessels has significantly increased.
During the third phase of the project fishermen, fisheries administration, fisheries inspection and the staff from the Institute of Marine Biology were trained to use relevant parts of the FIS. The aim of this training was to enhance knowledge and use of modern technologies in order to increase the efficiency of fisheries inspectors as well as of scientists, administrative staff and other relevant stakeholders.
This project has been carried out with a good managing plan from the very beginning and its strategy has been successfully implemented. The cooperation with all involved stakeholders has been excellent. Through regular project reporting, we have continuously informed each stakeholder about its status. We have taken into account all users` needs and the goal is fulfilled – this system will greatly improve their efficiency.