DG-Fish shall be invited to attend a presentation on the EFAD project around the time of the ESE.
Pim Visser (Den Helder/Nova) is the new President with Johan Van De Steene (Zeebrugge) taking over as Treasurer and Martyn Boyers (Grimsby) as a Vice-President. Assuncao Soveral (Docapesca) remains Vice President and Jesus Lourido (Celeiro) Sectretary.
The Puerto de Celeiro has been developing a sophisticated process of traceability and value enhancement. When Joe Borg visited this Galician port they took the opportunity to explain their thinking in this regard.
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The board of EAFPA visited Celeiro* in NW Galicia, the home port of its Secretary (Jesús Lourido), to see at first hand the integrated approach of this member to developing a sustainable and viable future. With a lateral system of support services and vertical care of the catch and marketing this establishes an interesting model for the EFAD project.
The week started on Monday with a meeting at DG-Fish with Mr Holmquist followed by a short working dinner of EAFPA. During the week board members met with leaders of other sectors and key projects and attended the QIM workshop on Wednesday afternoon.
The controlled development of fisheries in ultra peripheral regions - in particular the Atlantic archipelagos - was the theme and Antonio Raposo, President of Lotaçor* (operator of 13 auctions and an EAFPA member) explained how his organisation was contributing to the modernisation and development of a cohesive fishery policy.
A comprehensive study and action programme has been enabled through the award of funding by the EC under FIFG's transnational innovative action programme. Partners in this 12 month project are CCI Quimper, Brittany (the main contractor), the fish auctions of Urk, Netherlands and Zeebrugge, Belgium in addition to EAFPA with its own membership stretching from the Azores to Iceland.
A groundbreaking step in the management of fish boxes, one of the under-rated necessities of fish trading, was achieved when representatives from 7 countries (around 100 key auctions) signed a protocol with EAFPA governing the mutual care and responsibility for co-signatories fish boxes and tubs.. This agreement stemmed from an ongoing EAFPA programme on box management.
This event was well attended including several new additions - EAFPA continues to expand its membership and also its active involvement in the industry. A very full agenda included visits to two of the 7 auctions operated by the CCI Quimper and also took in the CCI's impressive dry dock and ship lift facilities at Concarneau. Much was crammed into the two days with early starts and working sessions through into the evening - not only informative but also enjoyable as professionals learned form and exchanged ideas with sectoral counterparts from around Europe.
Alain Schlesser was asked, by popular acclaim, to maintain the Presidency with the other office holders becoming Assunção Abranches de Soveral (Vice President), Jesús Lourido Garcia (Secretary) and Pim Visser (Treasurer).
In an interview with the World fishing
magazine Alain set out a vision, shared by some if not all EAFPA members, on the
future of auctions. On the same page are opinions from UK which are generally
less proactive.
Download the article as a .pdf file by clicking on the auctioneer.
The seminar co-hosted by Auxcis Trading Solutions (ATS) and EFICE was not only an extremely interesting in its own right but a welcome forum for auctions from across Europe to meet and touch upon mutual issues in a convivial atmosphere.
Around 70 delegates: from Spain, France, UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Iceland and even a representative from Sydney Fish Auction made this a truly international event.
Day 1 included visits to Urk processors (Northseafood) and the Urk Fishermen's cooperative (Visserijcooperatie Urk): with fishing and associated industry the ONLY industry in Urk (a town of 16.000) the socio-economic need for our industry to survive was amply made.
Teun Visser, Managing Director of Visaslag Urk rounded this off with the recent history of Urk from an island of coastal fishermen of the Zuider Zee through being forced to seek new fisheries in the North Sea after enclosure to the position today as Netherlands premier fishing community. their experience and success at meeting challenges and change is an object lesson for us all.
Alain Schlesser - President of EAFPA - delivered a succinct presentation of the role and objectives of EAFPA - see POWERPOINT presentation.
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A brief introduction to the EAFPA web sites was given and delegates, whether members or not, invited to enter the site and make contributions on what they would like to see included, excluded or altered.
We were treated to a splendid meal by Urk in the auction canteen during which numerous contacts were established after which we retired to our hotel where many continued their exchanges.
Of course the main topics were lack of fish, poor market situation, increasing legislation and demands by supermarkets, the need to rationalize markets and progress by working together.
Day 2 started with us sitting in on that morning's auction at Urk. A classic "clock" auction it was swift and efficient. After this we were given a tour of the auction building from reception (all fish is delivered by road as Urk, originally an island, is now an inland market) through the grading and weighing hall, through the chill holding stores to the distribution bays - coordinated and with computer registration at each stage.
After this practical demonstration of a modern auction operation we "paid" for our visit by receiving formal presentations of the e-commerce systems offered by ATS and an implementation of these by the Efice group of 7 auctions in Netherlands. This was informative and professional and all present, even those involved with such systems from the 80's, left having had any preconceptions challenged and scope for new ideas.
After the seminar closed EAFPA members met in the offices of NV Visafslag Urk.
Our thanks to ATS, Efice and Urk for an interesting and constructive event.