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

Abstract

The Sixth Meeting of the Coordination Committee of the FAO AdriaMed Regional Project “Scientific Cooperation to Support Responsible Fisheries in the Adriatic Sea” was held in Budva, Serbia and Montenegro, 5th and 6th October 2004. It was attended by representatives of the Project participating countries (Albania, Croatia, Italy, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovenia) and other interested parties. The meeting sought to present and discuss the results of the activities and the Coordination Committee was asked to discuss and deliberate on AdriaMed achievements and future direction. Moreover the activities carried out during the inter-committee period (2003-2004) with detailed description of the major scientific achievements and results of the Project highlighting their relevance to resource monitoring and the formulation of scientific advice for fishery management were presented according to its three main components: Adriatic fishery resources, Adriatic social and economic fishery sciences, Adriatic fishery statistics and information system. The Committee was reminded that the end of AdriaMed Project was scheduled for October 2004 and that an extension period (bridging phase) of one year (October 2004-October 2005) was made possible thanks to additional funds provided by the Donor. The main issue of the first phase of the Project was to set up the data exchange, data gathering, to harmonize the methods applied at basin level and to form a joint data base on a number of issues. Phase two should include another level thus translating these data and results into actual advice to managers. The AdriaMed countries concurred on the necessity to ensure the continuation of the national execution of most programmes aimed at the routine and standardized monitoring and appraisal of shared resources and of the fisheries upon which they are based. Thus the Committee requested that FAO and the AdriaMed Project prepare a Project Proposal for the second phase of the Project.