7. The APFIC Secretary briefed the Executive Committee of the salient developments since the Twenty-seventh Session of APFIC (Manila, the Philippines, 19-21 September 2001) as detailed in document APFIC:ExCo/03/2.
8. The Secretary reviewed the conclusions of the Twenty-seventh Session of APFIC and the response to the request of the Commission at its Twenty-seventh Session, that the Director-General of FAO send a letter to all Members of the Commission, soliciting views regarding their continued interest in and commitment to the work of the Commission.
9. To supplement this action, the Secretariat, with the assistance of a consultant, had undertaken a review of the role of the Commission that would be responsive to the needs of its Members as they face the challenges created by recent developments in world fisheries. The Secretary appreciated the work undertaken by the consultant and the interim Secretary of the Commission, Mr Simon Funge-Smith. It was agreed that the Members’ responses to the Director-General’s letter and the review carried out by the Secretariat would facilitate the deliberations on the future of APFIC.
10. The Committee was informed of activities undertaken by the Secretariat on behalf of the Commission during the inter-sessional period, which were considered to be complementary to the envisaged future areas of work of the Commission and the regional priorities in fisheries. These activities included collaboration with other regional and sub-regional organizations such as the Intergovernmental Organization for Marketing Information and Technical Advisory Services for Fishery Products in the Asia-Pacific Region (INFOFISH), the Mekong River Commission (MRC), the Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific (NACA), the South East Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC), and the WorldFish Center. These took the form of an international symposium on inland fisheries and regional consultations covering aquaculture, inland fisheries and accessing aquaculture markets.
11. Complementary, ongoing activities of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of relevance to APFIC included a number of national TCP and donor-supported projects on aquaculture development which are ongoing in Indonesia, India, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao and the Republic of the Philippines. Other activities included the support for the implementation of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, especially environmental and social sustainability aspects that are being addressed by a regional TCP project on Poverty Alleviation through Improved Aquatic Resources Management in Asia. The Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem project is also currently facilitating the development of a larger programme for this sub-region. Assistance is also being provided by FAO in regard to legislative and policy reforms in fisheries, through national and regional TCP projects in Cambodia and the Pacific Island countries.
12. The Committee commended the Secretariat for its initiative in conducting the review of the future role of the Commission and for undertaking activities during the inter-sessional period which would benefit Members of the Commission. It directed that the report on inter-sessional activities be submitted to the Commission at its Twenty-eighth Session.
