7. The Secretariat introduced document APFIC/04/2, summarizing the main events and activities which had taken place during the inter-sessional period. The Commission observed that Mr Veravat Hongskul who had served APFIC as its Secretary for more than ten years had retired in December 2002, and that he was succeeded by Mr Derek Staples, former Senior Advisor to the Minister of Fisheries of Australia in September 2003. The Commission expressed its sincere appreciation for the outstanding service of Mr Hongskul and warmly welcomed Mr Staples, wishing him every success in discharging his duties.
8. The Commission noted that the Director-General of FAO had circulated a letter inviting Members of APFIC to reaffirm their continued interest in and commitment to APFIC, in response to its request during its Twenty-seventh Session (2001) regarding the future of APFIC. The Commission also thanked the Secretariat for its initiative in conducting a study to elaborate the options for the future of APFIC and agreed to discuss the issues fully in Agenda Items 5 and 6.
9. The Commission was informed of the continued collaboration of APFIC with a number of global, regional and sub-regional bodies and arrangements concerned with fisheries. The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific had also implemented a number of Technical Cooperation Projects (TCP) of special interest to the Commission. A detailed review of these activities was provided to the Commission in the Report of the Sixty-ninth Session of the Executive Committee and under Agenda Item 5.
10. The Commission also noted with appreciation other recent initiatives taken by the Secretariat. These included the production of a CD archiving the reports and technical papers of the past sessions of APFIC (formerly known as the Indo-Pacific Fisheries Council and the Indo-Pacific Fishery Commission (IPFC)) from its inception in 1949 to 1998. The Commission was informed of the development of the APFIC website (www. apfic.fao.org) and the publication of a handbook on Regional fishery bodies and arrangements in Asia and the Pacific which is designed to act as a Regional fisheries information resource and will include fisheries overviews, national and regional contacts, information related to the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, fisheries overviews, and links to the many international and regional organizations and arrangements in the Asia-Pacific region that address fishery issues. This would be available both for the benefit of the Members of the Commission and also other interested parties.
11. It was agreed that these information resources would help facilitate the transition of APFIC to a Regional Consultative Forum. At the same time, they would enhance better understanding, at the sub-regional, regional and global levels, of the contributions of APFIC to the sustainable development of fisheries resources and the rational management of fisheries and aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region.
12. Following this agenda item the APFIC website was formally launched by the Deputy-Chairman.
