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Within the framework of the GFCM Online Forum, the GFCM organized a webinar on:

The experience of international organizations in response to the COVID-19 crisis

Thursday, 25 June, 15:00-16:30 CEST, Zoom

This webinar focused on the impacts of COVID-19 and worked towards building Blue Economy resilience. Discussions focused on the preliminary assessment of the impacts COVID-19 and the consequences of the ongoing crisis as well as the work of regional organizations towards a “new normality”.

REPORT OF THE WEBINAR 

VIDEO RECORDING

Q&A DOCUMENT

Presentations

• Impacts of COVID-19 on fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea: preliminary analysis, by Mr Abdellah Srour, Executive Secretary, General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) ;
• The NEAFC 2020 Experience ... So far..., by Dr Darius Campbell, Secretary, North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) ;
• Case of ATLAFCO, by Mr Abdelouahed Benabbou, Executive Secretary, Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation among African States bordering the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAFCO) ;
• Addressing the COVID-19 challenges in the Black Sea, by Ms Iryna Makarenko, Pollution Monitoring and Assessment Officer, Black Sea Commission Secretariat (BSC).

Background documentation

• GFCM, Fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea : An updated analysis of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis ;
• GFCM, Fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea: A preliminary analysis of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis ;
• http://www.fao.org/fishery/covid19/en
• FAO, The impact of COVID-19 on fisheries and aquaculture A global assessment from the perspective of regional fishery bodies: Initial assessment May 2020
• FAO, How is COVID-19 affecting the fisheries and aquaculture food systems ;
• FAO, Legal considerations in responses to COVID-19 to mitigate the risk of disruption to fisheries and aquaculture food systems ;
• GEF’S RESPONSE TO COVID-19.  
• OECD Policy Brief, Fisheries, aquaculture and COVID-19: Issues and Policy Responses;
• WWF MEDITERRANEAN MARINE INITIATIVE, The COVID-19 crisis and fisheries 2020 - Position paper 

Agenda (Version française)

15.00–15.10 Introduction of the topic and objectives of the webinar
Nicola Ferri, GFCM Secretariat

15.10–15.20 Keynote address on the GFCM analysis of the impacts of COVID-19
Abdellah Srour, GFCM Executive Secretary

15.20 – 16.10 Discussion on the impacts of COVID-19 and work towards building Blue Economy resilience.

The discussion will focus on the preliminary assessment of the impacts COVID-19 and the consequences of the ongoing crisis as well as the work of regional organizations towards a “new normality”.

Among others, the following topics will be tackled:

• Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of COVID-19 on the Blue Economy
• Administrative arrangements for the functioning of organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. postponement of meeting/reliance on virtual meetings, adjustments in work plans, etc.)
• Future strategies and plans to ensure adaption to the “new normality”

Contributions by panellists:

• Darius Campbell, Secretary, North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC)
• Camille Manel, Executive Secretary, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT)
• Gaetano Leone, Coordinator, United Nations Environment Programme - Mediterranean Action Plan/Barcelona Convention (UNEP-MAP)
• Abdelouahed Benabbou, Executive Secretary, Ministerial Conference on Fisheries Cooperation among African States bordering the Atlantic Ocean (ATLAFCO)
• Iryna Makarenko, Pollution Monitoring and Assessment Officer, Black Sea Commission Secretariat (BSC)

16.10 – 16.30 Q&A and conclusions

Moderator: Nicola Ferri, GFCM Secretariat

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided into French and English.

The GFCM Online Forum will examine the responses to the crisis from three different angles 

25 June 2020
15:00 CEST

1 July 2020
10:00 CEST

22 July 2020
15:00 CEST

The experience of international organizations response to the COVID-19 crisis

The experience of the aquaculture sector through best practices and mitigation measures facing the COVID-19 crisis 

The experience of small-scale fisheries in promoting social resilience and market innovation in response to the COVID-19 crisis  

This online forum is part of the activities organized by the GFCM to gain a better understanding of the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The conclusions of these discussions will contribute to a wider reflection on the measures taken, lessons learnt and future actions for the region. The online forum will be open and interactive to promote effective collaboration and active exchange of ideas between participants.

Do not hesitate to contact the GFCM Secretariat for any further information and/or technical support.