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ABSTRACT

The thirty-fifth session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), including the second session of the Committee on Administration and Finance (CAF) and the fifth session of the Compliance Committee (CoC), was attended by representatives from 22 Contracting Parties, two non-GFCM Member Countries and seven Observers. The Commission reviewed the intersessional activities of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) and, on the basis of the results obtained, adopted binding Recommendations on the exploitation of red coral, on reducing incidental bycatch of seabirds, on the bycatch of sea turtles and on the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal, as well as Resolutions on data confidentiality policy and procedures and rules related to the submission of new proposals to the annual sessions of the Commission. It also endorsed five new Recommendations of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) of relevance to the Mediterranean and amended Recommendations on the GFCM logbook and on reporting of aquaculture data and information. The Commission addressed issues arising from the results of the GFCM performance review and decided to establish a task force to review the recommendations made by the expert panel and to propose options to improve the functioning of the Commission. Furthermore, the Commission elected a new GFCM Executive Secretary, renewed its bureau and endorsed the nominations of the new bureaus of the CAF, CoC and CAQ. It agreed to strengthen the Secretariat with new posts whilst freezing the post of Deputy Executive Secretary for 2012. The progress made with regards to the new headquarters of the Commission and the imminent move of the Secretariat to these premises was welcomed by all delegations. The Commission adopted its 2011 autonomous budget at a value of US $ 1 708 239 along with its programme of work for 2011, including the convening of 25 technical meetings, and agreed to establish an ad hoc Working Group on the Black Sea issues.