An offshore patrol vessel with the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) has berthed in Dublin to mark the 20th anniversary of the North Western Waters Advisory Council and the Pelagic Advisory Council.
The Ocean Protector is one of three EFCA offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), and participants at the 20th anniversary event in Dublin Castle have been invited to visit it today (Friday, March 15)
As Afloat has reported, the two advisory councils are discussing their role within the Common Fisheries Policy at the event.
The OPV Ocean Protector is one of the three inspection platforms chartered by the EFCA.
The 62-metre ship is a multi-role emergency response and rescue vessel and has a dynamic position system.
This system allows it to better maintain position, and to balance the environmental forces such as wind, waves and currents during the duty while also reducing fuel consumption to a minimum.
It is operational all year round as a fisheries patrol vessel to support member states in the different EFCA´s joint deployment plans.
The EFCA says that during its operations it is available for supporting other coast guard functions, such as providing support during search and rescue situations, maritime surveillance and pollution response.
“Its deployment enhances the EU capacity to improve the effectiveness of fisheries control operations in the EU and beyond,”the EFCA says.