4. The Committee reviewed its role within FAOs recently
adopted Strategic Framework (2000-2015) and the Fisheries Departments Medium-Term
Perspectives and underscored the need to extract and consider the research priorities that
stem from these.
5. The Committee appreciated the efforts of the Fisheries
Department to report on research-related activities and acknowledged the importance and
quality of the work and the great extent of the product. It reiterated that the Fisheries
Department must prioritize its work or the overall high standard for quality that it has
received to date will be jeopardized.
6. The Committee emphasized the importance for FAO staff to
continue to function as high-level professionals by participating in international
meetings and to publish in peer-reviewed journals.
7. The Committee acknowledged the emphasis by staff to create
tools to compile information time series in support of a very wide range of analyses,
including the preparation of SOFIA, Resource Reviews and to provide the public with access
to the global fisheries database. It recommended that priority should be given to
including socio-economic data, including information on aquaculture and marine and
freshwater small-scale fisheries. The Committee encouraged the Fisheries Department to
continue to develop and widely disseminate tools to assist less-developed countries in
participating in statistical programmes.
8. The Committee recognized that the major advances in the technology
for managing and delivering information embraced by the Fisheries Department has been a
very positive step. However, it also noted that particular consideration should be given
to making sure the information is well suited to the needs of people in less-developed
countries concerned with small-scale fisheries and aquaculture.