In line with the Project aim of strengthening joint research and regional management of shared fishery resources, these Working Groups (WG) should mainly focus on shared demersal and small pelagic fishery resources of the Adriatic Sea. The Joint Working Groups Meeting is the follow up of the AdriaMed Working Groups on shared demersal resources and small pelagic resources and of the Project Coordination Committee deliberations.

This meeting was mostly focused on the research activities to be carried out within the AdriaMed framework, in particular on the programmes:

• Identification of biological unit of Adriatic Sea shared stocks based on genetic structure analysis.

• International bottom trawl survey in the Adriatic Sea .

• Pilot fishery statistics and biological sampling network in the Adriatic Sea.

• Identification of management options for the Pomo/Jabuka Pit critical habitat.

• Training activities on fishery resources assessment.

Special attention was given to:

• Outcome of the GFCM-SAC Working Group meeting on the Management Units Definition and Limits (Alicante 23-25 January 2001).

• Issues of the GFCM-SAC requirements for the forthcoming SCSA Working Group on small pelagic and demersal species.

• Discussion on the Operational Units in the Adriatic in order to formulate a regional approach and practical contribution to the next GFCM-SAC meeting on the definition of Operational Units in the Mediterranean Sea.

The WG was attended by:

• AdriaMed relevant scientific counterparts from each country participating in the Project (Regional Experts);

• FAO-Staff;

• FAO-AdriaMed Secretariat.

Laboratory of Marine Biology, Bari, Italy.

13th-15th February 2001.

Organization The WG was organised by the FAO–AdriaMed Project and the Laboratory of Marine Biology, with the collaboration of the AdriaMed’s National Focal Points.