1. The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) was adopted in 1995 by the FAO Conference. In adopting the Code, the Conference called on FAO, States and all those involved in fisheries to implement the Code including relevant actions to achieve responsible fisheries. In July 1997, the Coordinating Committee of the Technology and Aquaculture in the Mediterranean (TECAM) and the Socio-economic and Legal Aspects of Aquaculture in the Mediterranean (SELAM) networks meeting in Zaragoza, Spain, accepted the Code as a basic instrument in its future work. Since then the selection of the programme of work of TECAM and SELAM have been guided by the principles of the Code, and the provisions of Article 9 (Aquaculture Development) and other articles relevant to aquaculture.

ORIGIN OF THE CONSULTATION

2. In 1997 the Twenty-second Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) urged FAO, other organizations and donors to provide assistance to attain the objectives of the Code at national, regional and subregional levels. This philosophy was adopted by GFCM. In view of the request of COFI and the initiatives taken in the framework of GFCM, the Italian Government requested and funded a specific project for a Consultation on the Application of Article 9 (Aquaculture Development) of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in the Mediterranean Region. This Consultation was conceived as a test to start assistance to member countries in the implementation of the CCRF, in the context of a specific sub-sector and geographic region. The FAO Fisheries Department prepared a project proposal that was discussed and approved by the Italian Directorate for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Ministry of Agricultural Policies. The cost of the project of the duration of one year was approximately US$ 320 000. This project was signed and approved in May 1998 and became operational in July 1998.

3. The Consultation was organized through the Technical Secretariat of the GFCM Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) with the support of a Steering Committee, including both the donor and the FAO Fisheries Department.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTATION

4. The objectives of the Consultation were:

� to review the level of understanding and the status of application of the principles contained in Article 9 and other articles of the Code in GFCM countries;

� to examine the mechanisms put into practice by member countries to utilize the Code to ensure a responsible development of aquaculture;

� to discuss gaps identified and difficulties encountered by GFCM countries in the application of the principles of the Code contained in Article 9, at national and regional levels, and

� to propose an Action Plan at national and regional levels which would support the application of Article 9 of the Code.

ORGANIZATION OF THE CONSULTATION

5. The implementation of the project on the Consultation followed a sequence of steps including the following:

(a) Preparation of a standard outline for national reports. This preparation was carried out with the participation of a team of staff and consultants and with the supervision of the Steering Committee. They elaborated an annotated guideline for the preparation of the various sections of the national reports. The analysis on the national situation was based on geographic transects, from restocking of inland waters to offshore cage culture.

(b) Organization of visits by a team of three consultants to the various countries. A number of countries were selected for these visits and the criteria for selection was to include those GFCM member countries of the Mediterranean basin that had a substantial development of aquaculture.

(c) Visits to the countries selected to participate in the Consultation for presentation of the project and for briefing of national teams and preparation of contracts for the preparation of national reports according to established standards.

(d) A second set of visits to verify progress of work in the preparation of the national reports and to guide national teams to resolve problems encountered.

(e) The preparation of a synthesis of the national reports and of an action plan proposal by a team of consultants and FAO staff. These documents were derived from a comparative analysis of the national reports.

(f) The distribution of the synthesis and proposed action plan to the participating countries, and to the members of GFCM.

(g) The Consultation meeting, in which the documents were discussed, and as a result of the discussions the action plan proposal was modified and adopted.

(h) The finalization and distribution of the report of the Consultation including the Action Plan as adopted by the participating countries. The report of the Consultation is provided as document GFCM:CAQ/2000/Inf. 8.

MAIN OUTCOME

6. The adoption on an Action Plan based on five major elements, namely to:

(i) improve comprehension and widespread capillary adoption of the Code in the Mediterranean Region;

(ii) improve planning processes for aquaculture development and resource use;

(iii) enhance harmonization between aquaculture development and environ-mental conservation;

(iv) utilize the Code as a means of upgrading the economic value of aquaculture, and

(v) use the principles of the CCRF to improve and stabilize trade in aquaculture products in the Mediterranean region.

7. For these elements the Consultation identified activities and ranked them in order of priority both at national and regional level to provide guidance for the future follow-up work.

8. The participants at the Consultation agreed that GFCM is the appropriate body to take care of the implementation of the follow-up of the Action Plan at regional level. It also indicated that the Secretariat should contribute to the preparation of the proposals that have been retained by the working groups that discussed the priorities of the various elements.

9. In addition, the Consultation recognized that it was essential for participating countries to initiate the follow-up activities at national level prior to incorporating them in activities at regional level.

10. As a result of the recommendation to include the follow-up of the Consultation under the aegis of the GFCM CAQ, activities related to the main priorities of the Consultation were implemented by the networks associated to GFCM CAQ, such as the SELAM Workshop on Global Quality Assessment in Mediterranean Aquaculture and the TECAM Seminar on Environmental Impact Assessment of Mediterranean Aquaculture Farms.

11. The Secretariat has also prepared an advanced project idea to be submitted to the various interested donors, centering on the implementation of the main regional priorities identified by the Consultation. The discussion on this project idea is included in item 10 of the provisional agenda.

ACTION BY THE COMMITTEE

12. The Committee is requested to discuss and comment on the conclusions and recommendations of the Consultation.