"Russia is satisfied with the level of cooperation that has been reached with the European Commission in the fishing industry both in the context of the international fishery organisations and on a bilateral basis," Viktor Zubkov said at the beginning of the meeting.

The first deputy prime minister stressed the high level and openness of their cooperation in the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) and the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO).

Viktor Zubkov also expressed hope that these relations would evolve into a strategic partnership and that the contacts gained would be preserved.

During the meeting, Viktor Zubkov and Maria Damanaki discussed ways in which to promote cooperation on fishing in the Baltic and Black Seas. In particular, they discussed practical aspects of cooperation in the reproduction of aquatic biological resources in the Baltic Sea and the possible use of a Russian research vessel for conducting scientific surveys to assess shared resources in the Baltic Sea.