7. The Secretariat summarized the developments and activities since the APFIC Regional Consultative Forum and the Twenty-ninth Session of APFIC (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 21_23 August 2006). A detailed list and a description of the activities are given in the documents APFIC:ExCo/07/02 and APFIC:ExCo/07/02 Add 1.
8. The Secretariat has assisted in the organization of five international workshops and held one major regional consultative workshop on fishing capacity held in Phuket, Thailand, 13_15 June 2007. All these workshops had good participation from APFIC member countries and were also well supported with participation by a number of regional and international organizations.
9. The Secretariat has provided direct advice to member countries and is also
backstopping
six regional projects and four ongoing national projects addressing national level fisheries
and aquaculture development issues. Two specific projects are being developed to support the
work
and objectives of the Commission (These are described in agenda item 7).
10. Several publications have also been produced by APFIC, notably, inter alia The history of industrial fishing in Southeast Asia (RAP Publication 2006/12); Asia-Pacific Fisheries Commission Report of the Twenty-ninth Session (RAP Publication 2006/18); APFIC Regional Consultative Forum Meeting Reforming fisheries and aquaculture in Asia-Pacific (RAP Publication 2006/19); Status and potential of fisheries and aquaculture in Asia and the Pacific 2006 (RAP Publication 2006/22); Fisheries policy content and direction in Asia APFIC member countries (RAP Publication 2006/23) and Integrating fisheries into the development discourse (RAP Publication 2007/03). The APFIC website is the main source of information and communication sharing among member countries and the Secretariat.
11. The Regional Aquaculture Officer of the FAO Regional Office for Asia-Pacific, concurrently Acting Secretary of APFIC, participated in the: FAO COFI Sub-Committee on Aquaculture _ 3rd Session (COFI-AQ) (September 2006); FAO COFI _ Committee on Fisheries _ 27th Session (March 2007) and the FAO Meeting of the Network of Secretariats of Regional Fisheries Bodies (RSN1) (March 2007).
12. The Executive Committee suggested that the Secretariat develop an executive summary or a briefing note for important meetings attended, to be posted as a news item on the APFIC website. These summaries could also then be included in the information paper on inter-sessional activities presented at the APFIC Session. The Executive Committee agreed that this was an effective way to raise awareness of regional meetings and initiatives amongst members.
13. The Executive Committee was informed that the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem project (BOBLME) was a good opportunity for APFIC members to collaborate in a regional initiative for this area. It noted that this could result in a regional arrangement for management of the Bay of Bengal. The Executive Committee approved the participation of APFIC Secretariat in the development of this project.
14. The Executive Committee expressed strong support to the Regional Consultative Forum Meeting (RCFM) and the shift towards a more consultative approach by APFIC. This was seen as a main achievement for APFIC and the RCFM was seen as an excellent forum to raise awareness and discuss difficult and emerging fisheries issues in the APFIC region. The Executive Committee also noted that the RCFM was an excellent venue to "showcase" ongoing and planned sub-regional management arrangements and initiatives. The Executive Committee approved APFIC working in a coordinating and facilitating role complementary to sub-regional management arrangements and initiatives.
