The Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Türkiye and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will host the second edition of the GFCM Forum on Fisheries Science in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (Fish Forum) in Antalya, Türkiye from 19 to 23 February 2024.   

The Fish Forum is the biggest scientific gathering dedicated to fisheries and related issues in the region, and an endorsed activity in support of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). 

Climate change and innovative technologies will be the main themes of Fish Forum 2024

The Fish Forum is a major event for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, providing a unique platform for discussions on fisheries research, social and economic science, and oceanography. This edition centers on the topics of climate change and innovative technologies. The aim is to create a network of trends, identify priorities and integrate scientific knowledge into decision-making with a view to better shaping the future of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries and advancing the region’s progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “The Fish Forum will provide scientific replies to many urgent questions in the region, including on how to better address climate change and the significant increase of non-indigenous species within fisheries, and will empower us to advance towards reaching the ambitious objectives set up in the GFCM 2030 Strategy. Also, the Forum will allow for interactions between the scientific community, fisheries stakeholders and society, facilitating discussions in support of stakeholder involvement and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals,” said Miguel Bernal, GFCM Executive Secretary. By presenting an opportunity for knowledge exchange between policy-makers and interested parties, Fish Forum 2024 will enhance the science–policy interface at the Mediterranean and Black Sea level.  

©Franco Tulli

Great expertise and variety of topics

Following the model set forth by the first Fish Forum in 2018, the event will bring together scientific and academic communities, international organizations, non-governmental organizations and private sector stakeholders from across the Mediterranean and Black Sea region for five days of discussions, lectures, workshops, and artistic exhibitions. All participants will have the opportunity to submit abstracts, take part in the side events, visit the stands, participate in the exhibitions, and contribute to discussions that will shape the future of fisheries science in the region. The forum provides a valuable chance for researchers and university students to network with experts in the field and have their work featured in the leading event on fisheries in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. The deadline to register to participate in the Fish Forum 2024 is 15 November 2023.

An International Scientific Committee is established to support the overall organization of the forum, review proposals received and facilitate the organization of coherent sessions and dedicated discussions to address existing and emerging topics of relevance.  

A focus on three interrelated themes relevant for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea

This second edition will have an interdisciplinary focus, addressing three interrelated themes: 1) Better science for better advice; 2) Healthy seas and sustainable fisheries; and 3) Economic and technological innovation for resilient fisheries. The workshops and side events organized by the partners of the Forum will focus on themes and projects relevant to the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, including innovative technologies in connection to the three interrelated themes. Workshops will take place throughout the day on 19 February 2024 and side events from 20 to 22 February 2024.

The event is organized with the financial support of the European Union as well as the strong involvement of the hosting country, Türkiye. It also counts on the support and involvement of the event’s official partners: the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS), the Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (BSC), the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Mediterranean Advisory Council (MEDAC), OceanCare, the United Nations Environment Programme / Mediterranean Action Plan (UNEP-MAP), the World Maritime University (WMU), and the World Wide Fund for Nature-Med (WWF).

Emphasizing the Fish Forum's leading role in the sector, Türkiye's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, İbrahim Yumaklı, stated: “We have made special efforts towards organizing this event in Türkiye. Last year, the forty-fifth Session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) was held. At the Commission, it was decided that the Fish Forum will be held in Türkiye. We have started the preparations for the forum, to which we attach great importance.”

Register for the Fish Forum 2024

Deadline: 15 November 2023