REVIEW OF GFCM/SAC WORKPLAN FOR 2003-2004

85. The Committee reviewed the mandate for the intersessional period 2003-2004, on the basis of the Reference Framework given by the Commission at its Twenty-Seventh Session. It agreed to undertake the following activities (the numbering 1.1, 1.2, etc., relates to the numbering in the Reference Framework).

1. Management of fisheries

1.1 The Committee noted that the list of shared stocks had been updated. It would elaborate a table of shared stocks, with fleets and any other information about activity, catch, effort, etc.

1.2 Regarding operational units, SCSI is currently working on this and it is foreseen to continue during the next intersession in close cooperation with the other Sub-Committees.

1.3 SCSA is working in improving assessment methods. A new method, Direct Survival Method (DSM), presented at the last meeting of SCSA would be tested.

Regarding bio-economic modeling, the EC project BEMMFISH, in which Spain, France, Italy and Greece are participating, is aimed at the building of a simulation tool allowing the potential users (scientists, managers and fishers) to simulate the effects of different management measures for the Mediterranean fisheries. This model should integrate the qualitative relationships among the different parameters involved in the fishery, in particular biological stocks, fishing structures, fleets and gears, markets, fishermen economy and technological progress.

During the next meeting of the Working Group for this project to be held before the end of 2003, the first simulation trials of various management scenarios would be applied on some Mediterranean fisheries as case studies. The results of this work will be presented to the next session of the SCSA.

1.4 A workshop is planned to deal with Reference Points as referred to in paragraphs 36 to 42).

1.5 Assessments carried out in the SCSA were presented in other parts of this report. The priority species list has been updated. Studies on management scenarios in a bio-economic context are being developed (see BEMMFISH project above). It is planned to present results in the next SCSA meeting.

1.6 The Joint GFCM/ICCAT Working on Sustainable Tuna Farming/Fatening is working and it is foreseen to finish its task by the first half of 2004 (paragraphs 72 to 76).

1.7 No activity was undertaken by the Joint EIFAC/GFCM Working Group on Sturgeon Management. Efforts will be made to initiate work on this activitiy.

2. Environmental protection

2.1 SCMEE should present information in tabular form on incidental catches of protected species and large migratory sharks owing to the inadequacy of available information

2.2 SCMEE would complete work on the mapping of essential fish habitats.

2.3 Driftnets data are needed (see paragraph 49). Ongoing research activities and the results obtained would be provided in table format.

2.4 Regarding longline fisheries, SCSI would provide information to SCMEE on this issue.

2.5 Concerning mucilaginous algae blooms, the analysis would be done in relation to fisheries. A training workshop will be held in Tunisia with the support of COPEMED (see paragraph 50).

2.6 SCMEE should complete the description of identified species clusters. MEDSUDMED is working on that issue and should provide support to SCMEE.

86. The Committee proposed the holding of the following meetings in the table below during the intersessional period. The venues, dates, etc., in this table will be completed in due course as Members indicate their willingness to host the meetings.