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Report of the twenty-fourth session of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries, FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy, 20–23 June 2023

General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean












FAO. 2023. General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean – Report of the twenty-fourth session of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries, FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy, 20–23 June 2023. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Report, No. 1421. Rome. 




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    General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean – Report of the twenty-third session of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries, FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy, 21–24 June 2022 2022
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    The Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (SAC) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) held its twenty-third session in hybrid modality, from 21 to 24 June 2022. The Committee reviewed the work carried out during the 2021–2022 intersession and endorsed the MedSea4Fish guiding document, which provides an implementation framework following the establishment of the programme at the forty-fourth session of the GFCM (online, November 2021). The Committee provided advice on the status of priority stocks and ecosystems and on potential management measures addressing key fisheries and vulnerable species in the Mediterranean, including for European eel and red coral. In line with the subregional approach, the Committee formulated advice focusing on: i) common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) and blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) fisheries in the western Mediterranean; ii) small pelagic and bottom trawl fisheries exploiting demersal stocks, particularly European hake (Merluccius merluccius) and deep-water rose shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris), in the central Mediterranean; iii) deep-water red shrimp, giant red shrimp and blue and red shrimp (Aristaeomorpha foliacea and Aristeus antennatus) fisheries in the eastern-central Mediterranean, including their interactions with vulnerable megafauna; iv) non-indigenous species in the eastern Mediterranean, and v) small pelagic and demersal fisheries in the Adriatic. The Committee also agreed on the technical soundness of a proposal for the establishment of a fisheries restricted area (FRA) in the Cabliers Coral Mound, reviewed and endorsed a proposal for a large scale multiannual pilot study on trawl selectivity in the Strait of Sicily and reviewed the updated proposal from Libya to divide the Libyan coast (geographical subarea 21) into three marine subareas, to be submitted to the Commission. At the regional level, the Committee provided advice on the following: i) minimum conservation reference size for GFCM priority species; ii) spatial distribution of fishing effort, especially bottom trawl fisheries, to understand the spatial dynamics of specific fisheries and inform spatial management measures, including vulnerable marine ecosystems and other effective area-based conservation measures; and iii) ensuring and assessing the effectiveness of FRAs and establishing minimal standards for the monitoring of FRAs. With regard to recreational and small-scale fisheries, the Committee endorsed lists of species of importance and expressed support for a dedicated research programme for recreational fisheries.
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    General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. Report of the twenty-second session of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries, online, 22–25 June 2021 2021
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    The Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (SAC) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) held its twenty-second session online, from 22 to 25 June 2021. The session was attended by delegates from 19 Mediterranean contracting parties, 11 observers, as well as representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Fisheries Division, the GFCM Secretariat and invited experts. The Committee reviewed the work carried out during the 2019–2021 intersession, including within the framework of the mid-term strategy (2017–2020) towards the sustainability of Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided advice on status of priority stocks and ecosystems and on potential management measures addressing key fisheries and vulnerable species in the Mediterranean. In line with the subregional approach, the Committee formulated advice focusing on: i) small pelagic and priority demersal fisheries in the Adriatic Sea; ii) common dolphinfish and blackspot seabream fisheries in the western Mediterranean; iii) small pelagic and bottom trawl fisheries exploiting demersal stocks, particularly European hake, in the central Mediterranean; iv) deep-water red shrimp fisheries in the eastern-central Mediterranean, including their interactions with vulnerable marine ecosystems; and v) round sardinella in the eastern Mediterranean. The Committee also agreed on the technical soundness of three FRA proposals for the Bari Canyon, the Ebro Delta margin and the Palmahim Disturbance, to be submitted to the Commission. At the regional level, the Committee provided advice on the following: i) fishing technology and bycatch, including minimal technical specifications for bottom-trawl nets and the need for targeted pilot projects to investigate possible mitigation measures; ii) data call for the database on sensitive benthic habitats and species and other effective area-based conservation measures for the protection of vulnerable marine ecosystems and essential fish habitats; and iii) advances in the adaptation strategy for climate change. Furthermore, the Committee discussed additional work in support of the GFCM, namely the implementation of the Regional Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, dedicated research programmes as well as other activities to enhance fisheries management in the region. Finally, the Committee agreed upon its work plan for 2021–2023.
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    GFCM - Report of the sixth session of the Scientific Advisory Committee. Thessaloniki, Greece, 30 June - 3 July 2003 / CGPM - Rapport de la sixième session du Comité scientifique consultatif. Tessalonique, Grèce, 30 juin - 3 juillet 2003 2003
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    The sixth session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) was held in Thessaloniki, Greece, from 30 June to 3 July 2003. It was attended by delegates from fourteen members of the Commission. The Committee reviewed work by its subcommittees during the intersessional period, appraised research activities, formulated advice on fishery management and research and agreed on a workplan for 20032004. In particular, SAC invited the Commissi on to encourage members to adopt measures aimed at adjusting fishing effort to maintain selected small pelagic and demersal recruitment stocks at levels compatible with sustainable exploitation. The Committee requested that the Commission reinforce the implementation of the measures that would contribute to reverse declining biomass of a number of important stocks. SAC endorsed proposals of its Working Group on Operational Units and noted progress made by the Joint GFCM/ICCAT Working Group on Tu na Farming. The Committee made suggestions to rationalize some aspects of its modus operandi. It further welcomed the undertaking of an appraisal of its achievements and recommended that the outcome be presented at the next session of the Commission. The Committee unanimously elected a new chairperson, and first and second vice-chairpersons and further endorsed the nomination of coordinators of the four subcommittees.

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