The AdriaMed Working Group on Small Pelagic Fisheries Resources was held on 30 October 2018 at FAO-HQ, Rome, Italy. All the Project participating institutions (from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro Italy and Slovenia) were invited and attended the meeting. The work of the meeting was preparatory and functional for the next GFCM Working Group on Stock Assessment of Small Pelagic Species (19-23 November 2018) and for the GFCM benchmark assessment planned in 2019.        

 

             

The AdriaMed Study Group on intercalibration of fish otolith reading (SG-DEM-OTH) was be held on 29-30 October 2018 at FAO-HQ, Rome, Italy. Representatives of participating institutions from Croatia, Montenegro Italy and Slovenia attended the meeting. The overall objective of the SG-OTH-DEM is the enhancement of the quality of biological data gathered from wild stocks and used in stock assessment (calculation of the age length keys) for the Adriatic Sea. The meeting focused on red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and Common sole (Solea solea). The Study Group finalized the intercalibration launched early 2018 on Mullus barbatus otoliths. With regards to Solea solea otoliths, the Study Group progressed on the roadmap agreed upon to define new common protocol and criteria for the ageing, and launched an otolith exchange reading exercise.

 

             

The AdriaMed Working Group on Demersal Fishery Resources in the Adriatic Sea (WG-DEM) was held on 8-9 October 2018 in FAO-HQs, Rome, Italy. Research participating institutions from Albania, Croatia, Montenegro Italy and Slovenia attended the meeting. The WG-DEM reviewed the outcomes of the i) Study Group on intercalibration of demersal fish otolith reading (Mullus barbatus andSolea solea); ii) Working Group on Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF); iii) Study Group on Jabuka/Pomo Pit; iv) Study Group on Demersal Fisheries Resources. The WG-DEM addressed the request from the GFCM-SAC to provide sub-regional stock assessment on priority species, by giving particular attention to the preparatory work in support of the GFCM benchmark assessment of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) planned for 2018.  

 

             

The AdriaMed Study Group on Demersal Fisheries Resources (SG-DEM) was held on 13th September 2018 kindly hosted by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries of Split (Croatia). The meeting was attended by scientists from the fisheries research institute of Albania, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia. The SG- DEM, inter alia, with its practical work, has been conceived to contribute to the discussion on the state of fish stocks during the AdriaMed Working Group on Demersal Fisheries Resources (WG-DEM). The SG-DEM focused on the preparatory work for the stock assessment of European hake (Merluccius merluccius) in the Adriatic Sea, in view of the latest adoption of the 20th -SAC workplan that foresees a benchmark assessment of hake in GSA 17- 18 in 2018. The outcomes of this SG-JP will be presented at the next Adriamed Working Group on Demersal Fisheries resources (October 2018).      

 

             

The AdriaMed Study Group on Jabuka/Pomo Pit and on spatial fisheries analysis (SG-JP) was held on 12th September 2018 kindly hosted by the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries of Split (Croatia). The meeting was attended by representatives of the Fisheries Administrations. Fisheries Research Institutions, by a representative of the GFCM Secretariat, representatives of WWF, MedReact, MEDAC and fishers and by the AdriaMed Project staff. The SG-JP, inter alia, has been conceived to contribute to the recently adopted Recommendation GFCM/41/2017/3, on the establishment of a Fisheries Restricted Area in the Jabuka/Pomo Pit in the Adriatic Sea. The outcomes of the SG-JP held in February 2018 was recalled with reference to the monitoring plan (2018-2020) for the Jabuka/Pomo Pit recently endorsed by the 20th session of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). The SG-JP progressed in implementation of the monitoring plan and future steps, like an additional winter trawl surveys to be carried out in the Jabuka/Pomo Pit area, were agreed upon. The outcomes of this SG-JP will be presented at the next Adriamed Working Group on Demersal Fisheries resources (October 2018).      

 

             

A joint trawl survey on board of F/V MIZAR covering South Adriatic waters (GSA 18) was carried out in the eastern side of the South Adriatic Sea (Albania and Montenegro) as an extension of the MEDITS trawl survey carried out in Italy. The survey was organized with the support of the AdriaMed Project, in cooperation with COISPA (Italy), the University of Montenegro-Institute of Marine Biology of Kotor (Montenegro) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration of Albania. Data are processed and will be available for the next stock assessment exercise on selected target species.        

 

             

The AdriaMed Working Group on Small Scale Fisheries in the Adriatic Sea (WG-SSF) was held on 12-13 July 2018 GFCM-HQs, Italy. Representatives of fisheries institutions from Albania, Croatia, Montenegro Italy and Slovenia attended the meeting. The WG focused on the revision of the activities carried out on invasive species as well as on small scale fisheries and recreational fisheries in the past year. The experts identified practical joint specific activities to be elaborated by the WG-SSF, inclusive of methodological approach, and to be implemented in the cooperative framework of the AdriaMed Project. The future activities include, inter alia, the publication of the maps of distribution of effort of small scale vessels, the continuation of monitoring of the occurrence of new species in the Adriatic Sea according to the Local Ecological Knowledge method, as well as a data collection programme, on a pilot scale, on Recreational Fisheries. In light of the forthcoming “GFCM High Level meeting on Small Scale Fisheries” (September 2018), the participants agreed on the contribution that the Working Group will bring to the meeting.        

 

             

Section to be updated.        

 

             

The AdriaMed Study Group on intercalibration of fish otolith reading (SG-DEM-OTH) was held on 24-25 May 2018 kindly hosted by the COISPA, Torre a Mare (BA), Italy. Representatives of participating institutions (from Croatia, Montenegro Italy and Slovenia) attended the meeting. The meeting, focused on red mullet ((Mullus barbatus) and sole (Solea solea). With regards to Mullus barbatus otoliths, the participants initiated to revise the ageing scheme and criteria and planned the next reading exercises to finalize the intercalibration and find a common agreement. With regards to Solea solea otoliths, the participants agreed on a roadmap that includes a marginal otolith increment analysis, the definition of a new common protocol and criteria for the ageing, together with reading exercises. The overall objectives of the SG-OTH-DEM is the enhancement of the quality of biological data gathered from wild stocks and used in stock assessment (calculation of the age length keys) for the Adriatic Sea.

 

             

The AdriaMed technical meeting towards the development of management measures (MSE) in the Adriatic Sea will be held at FAO HQ, Rome, 22-23 March 2018. Fisheries scientists, national administrations and representatives of fishers involved in small pelagic fisheries in the Adriatic Sea will participate in the meeting. The overall objective of the meeting is to foster the discussion on possible management scenario and harvest control rules to be tested by Management Strategies Evaluation (MSE) models within the framework of the GFCM management plan on small pelagics in the Adriatic Sea (GFCM Rec. 37/2013/1; 38/2014/1;39/2015/1 and GFCM/40/2016/3).        

 

             

The AdriaMed Study Group on Jabuka/Pomo Pit and on spatial fisheries analysis (SG-JP) was held on 22nd – 23rd February 2018 at FAO-HQs. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Fisheries Administrations and Fisheries Research Institutions from Croatia and Italy, by a representative of the GFCM Secretariat, representatives of MedReact, MEDAC and fishers and by the AdriaMed Project staff. The SG-JP was meant to foster the informal debate among scientists, administrations and stakeholders in order to have specific inputs for future management strategies in the area. The SG-JP was aimed at facilitating: i) the coordination of the scientific activities of monitoring demersal resources in the area as surveys at sea; ii) the debate on monitoring issues regarding fishing activities; iii) the coordination of stock assessment activities on hake (Merluccius merluccius) and Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). A short term workplan was agreed upon. The outcomes of this SG-JP shall be presented at the next GFCM SubRegional Coordination meeting for the Adriatic Sea (April 2018).    

 

             

The AdriaMed/MedReAct Workshop "Essential Fish Habitats and Sensitive Habitats of the Adriatic Sea: state of knowledge and conservation opportunities” (WS-EFH) was held on 20 -21 February 2018 at FAO-HQs. The meeting was jointly organized by AdriaMed and MedReAct. The institutions participating in the Project (from Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Montenegro), representatives of GFCM, MedReAct, Oceana and WWF participated in the workshop. The WS-EFH focused on the: i) Identification of knowledge gaps in the Adriatic Sea and possible way to overcome these; ii) identification of possible sensitive habitats for selected species or any other habitat of high biodiversity importance potentially impacted by fisheries activities which may require special protection in the Adriatic Sea; iii) definition of a roadmap to support the GFCM SAC in the definition of a network of essential fish habitats and sensitive habitats for the Adriatic Sea as per Resolution GFCM/41/2017/5. The outcomes of this WS-EFH shall be presented at the next GFCM Working Group on VME (February 2018) and at the SubRegional Coordination meeting for the Adriatic Sea (April 2018).        

 

             

The 19th AdriaMed Coordination Committee meeting was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on 6 and 7 February 2018, kindly hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration of Albania. Following the final approval from its Presidency, the meeting welcomed Bosnia and Herzegovina as participating country of AdriaMed. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Donors, delegations from the countries participating in the Project (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia), representatives of the Marine and Inland Fisheries Team (FIAF) of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy and Resources Division, the FAO General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), the other FAO Mediterranean Regional Projects. The Committee discussed on activities carried out during the inter committee period and on the programme of activities proposed for the next period of implementation.        

 

             

The AdriaMed Study Group on inter-calibration of fish otolith reading (SG-OTH) was held at FAO-HQ, Rome, Italy on 9-10 January 2018. The meeting was attended by researchers from the Adriatic fisheries research institutes involved in Project activities from, Croatia, Italy, Montenegro and Slovenia, as well as staff of FAO AdriaMed Project. The meeting was the fourth of a series of SG-OTH meetings aimed at the standardization of the ageing protocol and the definition of common criteria for anchovy otolith reading. The SG-OTH agreed on common criteria, protocol to follow and to adopt as birthdate the 1st January. The outcomes of this SG-OTH shall be presented at the next GFCM SubRegional Coordination meeting for the Adriatic Sea planned in April 2018.