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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The workshop on environmental monitoring programmes for marine finfish cages was organized on 26 March 2024 within the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Technical Advisory Group on Spatial Planning for Aquaculture to support the establishment of a harmonized environmental monitoring programme for marine finfish cages in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In particular, the workshop aimed to provide an opportunity to share environmental monitoring programme (EMP) practices among Mediterranean countries, focusing on the importance of environmental monitoring in aquaculture, as well as to share lessons learned and review indicators used in the allowable zone of effect. During the workshop, the urgent need to establish a minimum set of cost-effective and ecologically relevant parameters for the EMP was highlighted. Participants emphasized the importance of monitoring the physical environment around aquaculture activities, in particular, the sediment component. Participants noted that within the EMP, it is crucial to define the baseline natural conditions and that, for some specific parameters, thresholds can be set. This workshop represented a significant step towards establishing consistent environmental monitoring practices for Mediterranean and Black Sea finfish aquaculture.