Strengthening cooperation and capacity for fisheries management in the Mediterranean

Fisheries scientists and managers from across the Near East and North Africa will gather in Alexandria, Egypt this month for a regional workshop aimed at strengthening cooperation and further building capacity for responsible fisheries management in the Mediterranean basin.

The three-day event, supported by the GEF-funded FAO Common Oceans Tuna Project and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will focus on equipping participants with the knowledge and tools needed to evaluate and implement management procedures (MPs), also known as “harvest strategies”, that guide how much fishing can occur under different stock conditions. These approaches are increasingly recognized as essential for long term, science-based fisheries management and for maintaining and rebuilding fish stocks in international waters.

Building skills in modern fisheries management

Hosted by Egypt’s Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency (LFRPDA), the workshop will provide the scientists, managers and others who attend with practical experience in applying Management Strategy Evaluation (MSE), a computer-modelling approach used to test how different management options perform against agreed objectives. They will learn to translate complex scientific analysis into clear, decision-ready guidance for fisheries management.

Ahead of the workshop, participants will complete FAO’s elearning course series: Management procedures for sustainable tuna fisheries, ensuring a shared baseline of understanding before the in-person sessions begin.

Experts from FAO, the GFCM and the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) will lead presentations, discussions and hands-on exercises designed to strengthen technical skills and deepen understanding of MSE tested management procedures. The programme will include tailored sessions for both scientists and managers, reflecting their complementary roles in the MSE process.

Supporting sustainable fisheries in a changing ocean

The adoption of MPs has already delivered significant gains in several fisheries globally. Their growing relevance comes at a pivotal moment, as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement enters into force in January 2026, reinforcing the need for robust, science based approaches to managing marine resources beyond national waters.

By strengthening regional capacity, the Alexandria workshop aims to support Mediterranean countries in designing and implementing effective management plans that protect fish stocks, enhance resilience, and sustain the economies and communities that depend on them.

A collaborative effort

The workshop is organized by The Ocean Foundation (TOF), a partner of the FAO Common Oceans Tuna Project, with support from the GFCM – with funding from the European Union ­–and ICCAT, and supplementary funding from Oceankind, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation.

Led by FAO and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the Common Oceans Tuna Project brings together all five tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs), scientific institutions, governments, civil society and the private sector to promote responsible, efficient and sustainable tuna fisheries while conserving biodiversity in a changing ocean environment.

The GFCM is a regional fisheries management organization operating under the framework of FAO, whose competence extends over all marine waters of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Its main objective is to ensure the conservation and the sustainable use of living marine resources, as well as the sustainable development of aquaculture. GFCM Members include 24 contracting parties and five cooperating non-contracting parties.