Lisbon, 12th October 2009. The idea for this platform first came up during the Workshop on the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy held by Seas at Risk (SAR) at the Luso-American Development Foundation, in Lisbon on 21st of May 2009.

The members of the Portuguese NGOs attending the event agreed that it would be crucial to take part in the wide-range debate about the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and that it would be very interesting and possibly more effective to do so in a unified manner.

So, after a series of meetings, the Platform of Portuguese NGOs on Fisheries (PONG-Pesca) was formed. Its mission is to promote the sustainable exploration of fishing resources, in all of its dimensions – ecological, social and economic – with the aim of attaining marine ecosystem preservation and the development of the coastal communities associated to the fisheries sector.

Although its primary objective is to take part in reform of the CFP, taking place until the end of 2012, the scope of the platform has broadened during these few months of work, mainly because it has become clear to its participants that the NGOs are not considered relevant stakeholders in the national arena of fisheries. Therefore, PONG-Pesca coalition also wants to establish itself has a reference partner in the reflections and discussions on the Portuguese fisheries agenda.

PONG-Pesca’s main activities will be:
- Production of a technical and scientific response to the Green Paper- reform of CFP;
- Promotion of fisheries stakeholders and general society participation;
- Endorsing public debate;
- Dissemination of relevant information;
- Promotion of sustainable consumption of fisheries and aquaculture products.

The platform’s first public event will be the national premiere of the documentary “The End of the Line” which will take place in Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, on the 16th of November 2009. The event, which has the collaboration of OCEAN 2012, will comprise the screening of the full version of the documentary, followed by a discussion panel which will have the presence of the film’s director, Charles Clover, DG-MARE Policy Development Coordinator, César Deben and a wide number of national fisheries experts – professionals, union delegates, researchers and public administration.

For more information, please contact them at pong.pesca@lpn.pt