The first meeting of the FAO-AdriaMed Project Working Group (WG) on the Definition of Priority Topics Related to Shared Demersal Resources in the Adriatic Sea attended by experts from Albania, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia. In line with the FAO-AdriaMed Project aim of strengthening joint research and regional cooperative management of common fishery resources, the Working Group focused on shared demersal stocks, exploited by trawl fishery, by identifying the most relevant issues and consequently formulating specific activities to be implemented within the framework of the Project. The Working Group considered current knowledge on shared fishery resources including the distribution pattern of the species, the state of exploitation and how much information is at present available on these resources. On the basis of the experience of the participants, the Working Group made a list of species whose stocks should be regarded as shared by the Adriatic Sea countries. The status of current knowledge on the ecology and population dynamics of main shared stocks was discussed. The Working Group agreed on the necessity to identify all sources of information concerning the common stocks existing in each country and on the need to prepare an up-to-date bibliographical database for each species. The issue of the known critical areas for the main shared stocks was taken into consideration for the elaboration of monitoring and management proposals. The Working Group stressed the importance of improving knowledge on how stocks are shared by the fishing fleets and gear. The high occurrence of juveniles in commercial trawl catches was discussed and it was proposed that a working programme regarding technical measures for the improvement of trawl net selectivity be supported by the Project. Following the discussion and conclusions of the meeting, the Working Group agreed to finalise specific work proposals to be implemented within the AdriaMed framework. In addition to the aforementioned topics, other matters to be dealt with were identified as: the extension of scientific trawl surveys to the eastern Adriatic sector; the availability of a common set of digital charts; cooperative research on the genetic structure of the most important demersal stocks. Finally, the training requirements of each country were indicated for consideration and follow-up by the Project.

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