The Regional Office for the Near East of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO/RNE) will organize in collaboration with the National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies (INSTM) of Tunisia a regional training workshop on the “Use of Geographic Information System in Fisheries Management” during the period from 7 to 11 July 2008 in Tunisia. 

The regional workshop will be attended by fishery scientists from fifteen Member Countries of the FAO Near East Region (Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen), in addition to INSTM and FAO staff. 

Understanding the spatial and temporal pattern occurrence of commercial fish species is an essential element for fisheries management. The Geographic Information Systems are being recognised as powerful tools with useful applications in marine sciences. 

This workshop aims to: (i) Provide an in-depth overview of application of Geographic Information Systems in mapping and analyzing marine environments; (ii) Review Geographic Information System methods for fisheries research particularly regarding the analysis and display of the spatial distribution and patterns of fishing pressure and related parameters; and (iii) Train the participants in the use of Geographic Information System for Marine Protect Areas identification and coastal zone planning and management.