Keywords: demersal fisheries - fishery management - fishery resources - international cooperation - pelagic fisheries - regional planning - research programmes - resource development - shared stocks

Abstract

The second meeting of the Coordination Committee of the AdriaMed Project (Scientific Cooperation to Support Responsible Fisheries in the Adriatic Sea) was attended by representatives of participating countries (Albania, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia) and other interested parties. The meeting was held to evaluate the first year of Project implementation seven months after the first meeting, in which the overall Project policy was finalised. An overview of activities carried out was given: inter alia a Seminar on the preparation of an Adriatic fisheries information system and two international Working Groups on the priority topics related to shared demersal and small pelagic fishery resources of the Adriatic Sea. A number of scientific research programmes have been identified by the Adriamed Project, through its Working Groups of regional experts, as of high relevance within the overall Project aim and mandate of strengthening scientific cooperation to support responsible fisheries in the Adriatic Sea. Specific requirements for the AdriaMed countries concerning national capacity building were highlighted; the necessity to identify activities concentrating on the continued strengthening of the network established in the AdriaMed area was underlined, and the importance of basin level cooperation was stressed. The interaction between research institutes and administrative bodies as well as computerised links between the AdriaMed participating countries were illustrated. The Coordination Committee stressed the importance of improving activities planned to strengthen cooperation with the GFCM. Finally the priorities identified for the future and activities scheduled were listed and approved by the Project Coordination Committee.