Madrid, Spain. The GFCM workshop on the implementation of the Data Collection Reference Framework (DCRF) in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea was just held on 15-16 December 2014. It was attended by national experts from 20 GFCM Members and one non-Member country as well as by representatives of the FAO regional projects CopeMed and EastMed, the coordinator of the SAC Subcommittee on Economic and Social Sciences (SCESS) and representatives of the GFCM Secretariat. 

The workshop instrumental in providing technical suggestions for improving data collection procedures and in defining the taks of the national focal points who should be responsible for data collection in their countries. At the end of thr meeting, the participants agreed upon a detailed roadmap for the implementation of the DCRF, including in particular the development and testing of a dedicated IT platform for data transmission at the GFCM Secretariat.