66. Working Group III comprised the following members:
|
Name |
Country |
Institution |
|
F. Barbosa (Chair) |
Brazil |
Fisheries Department |
|
B. Balkaran |
Guyana |
Ministry of Fisheries |
|
L. Ferreira (Rapporteur) |
Trinidad and Tobago |
Fisheries Division |
|
L. Heidanus |
Suriname |
SAIL N.V. |
|
M. Mahadew |
Suriname |
Fisheries Department |
|
J. Sahtoe |
Suriname |
Ministry of Agriculture |
|
R. Soerodimejo |
Suriname |
SAIL N.V. |
67. Based on the conclusion of the plenary that meetings of this nature were a useful approach to contribute to better management of the shrimp and groundfish fisheries of the Brazil-Guianas large marine ecosystem, Working Group III was requested to identify the way forward.
68. The group agreed that the exercise of bringing together all interested parties to discuss issues of common concern was well in line with the recommendations contained in the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and with the national objectives of the six countries concerned. The common goal was the sustainability of the fisheries of the subregion. The group agreed that it would be a good contribution to the above-mentioned purpose if this type of meeting was organized on a periodic basis. These regular sessions could greatly contribute, in the longer term, to the establishment of a subregional fisheries management body.
69. The group identified a number of priority areas that could be addressed efficiently by meetings of the Brazil-Guianas Shelf, if it had continuity in its functioning. These areas were as follows:
encourage stakeholders at the regional level to contribute to fisheries research;
support for the continuation of the activities of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the shrimp and groundfish resources of the Brazil-Guianas Shelf;
promote exchange of information, enhance communication and facilitate consultation among all interested parties (fishing industry, government, scientists, etc.);
promote collaboration between the fishing industry/private sector and the technical Ad Hoc Working Group in relation to the established programme of work of the latter;
discuss and evaluate the management measures recommended by the technical Ad Hoc Working Group;
promote capacity building initiatives at all levels (national, regional, private and public sector);
promote the harmonization and enactment of national fisheries legislation;
encourage bilateral and multilateral relations where appropriate;
contribute to the enhancement of data collection and information flow to support fisheries research activities at the national and regional levels; and
evaluate the impact of the implementation of recommended management measures.
70. The group recommended that this type of meeting be held on a regular basis and welcomed the proposal made at the plenary session by the government representative of Brazil to host a second meeting of the interested parties of the Brazil-Guianas Shrimp and Groundfish fisheries in May/June 2003.
71. The group also suggested that the delegation of Brazil nominate a national focal point for the organization of the meeting and invite two other countries of the subregion to be part of an ad hoc coordinating committee to provide support in such a task.
