Selected Papers Presented At The Workshop On Biological Reference Points

This workshop stressed that the concept of reference points (RPs) needs to be closely connected to the management objective of concerned fisheries, taking into account various parameters such as maximum sustainable yield, economic and social benchmark and environment concern. Participants stressed the need to define different RPs for each dimension of management or to identify a single RP aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the system, thereby no longer limited to biological aspects. A review of possible approaches to setting RPs and indicators for Black Sea fisheries emphasized the dynamic nature of recent ecosystem changes. The traffic light approach was illustrated as a means of following dynamic changes and gaining a broad perspective on events at the ecosystem level. The workshop outlined the main RPs obtained by applying the bio-economic optimization models of effort and effort-catch as derived from the theory of population dynamics.

This book addresses, reviews and evaluates key themes in organic aquaculture and is set out to show how these relate to the challenges and bottlenecks for a responsible organic aquaculture production in Europe. The key themes reflect the main challenges facing the organic aquaculture industry: guarantee and certification system, nutrition, reproduction, production system design and animal welfare. In addition, it assesses the impact of new and future potential development of new knowledge to update and modify the criteria and standards for organic aquaculture. Organic aquaculture is an alternative production approach driven by the growing interest in sustainable utilization of resources. It is rightly viewed as an important contributor to the economy and to the well-being and health of communities. This work will contribute to the scientific knowledge that needs to strengthen effective organic aquaculture. The collation of information on research and data will be of applied value to researchers, university students, end users and policy authorities in the EU and worldwide.

The thirty-first session of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) reviewed the intersessional activities of its Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and its Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) and held the first session of its Compliance Committee. Based on advice from SAC and proposals by Members, the GFCM adopted: three Resolutions, including two related to the GFCM statistical framework and one on the use of the 40 mm square mesh size in the codend of trawlnets. The Commission also adopted binding recommendations on fisheries management, including diamond mesh size of trawlnets and the Pelagos Sanctuary for the conservation of marine mammals, as well as three Recommendations emanating from the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) on bluefin tuna and on transshipment at sea. The GFCM strengthened the mandate of CAQ and adopted a new set up and modus operandi for the subsidiary bodies of the Committee. The Commission decided to strengthen its activities in the Black Sea. It acknowledged the importance of the five regional projects supporting the activities of the Committees and endorsed a series of amendments to its Rules of Procedure. The Commission agreed on its programme of work and adopted its budget for 2007, including the establishment within the Secretariat of a post of Aquaculture specialist.

The purpose of this study is to provide a snapshot of recreational fisheries legal frameworks within the Mediterranean with a view to promoting homogeneous and comprehensive recreational fisheries management in the Mediterranean. The study reviews the existing laws and regulations concerning recreational fisheries adopted by Mediterranean countries. It provides first an overview of relevant international initiatives regarding the management of recreational fisheries and a summary of marine recreational fisheries within the Mediterranean basin. The core of the study focuses on a comparative analysis of the main management measures adopted by States, including: (i) access regimes to fisheries resources: (ii) conservation measures: (iii) special recreational fisheries regulations: and (iv) monitoring, control and surveillance of recreational fisheries.

Mediterranean finfish species such as the European seabass and the gilthead seabream have, over the last two decades, been attracting considerable attention among aquaculturists and investors. The net result has been a rapid increase in the supply of the finfish to European markets. Accessing these markets with the right product at the right price is a key factor in the success of any commercial aquaculture project. This report describes the current status of the European market for these and other finfish species and the major characteristics of marketing farmed fish in the Mediterranean basin. Part 1 of the report gives an overview of the global European market, including developments in finfish production and marketing performance. Part 2 reviews major market traits of the European seabass and the gilthead seabream as well as other finfish including tilapia. It discusses suppliers to Europe, prices, marketing strategies and product types. Part 3 presents important European market characteristics such as product quality, consistency of supplies and competitive prices. Part 4 gives key figures regarding aquaculture production by country. Part 5 outlines farming technologies that may be more suited to certain Mediterranean countries and may offer new investment opportunities.--Publisher's description.

The establishment of fishery statistics and information systems in many countries of the General Fishery Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) continues to be considered a high priority activity, and the need to monitor fishing activities and provide fishery management at all levels with accurate, reliable and timely data which can interact with stock assessment and economic and socioeconomic studies for decision-making is constantly increasing. In accordance with FAO and the GFCM mandate, the objective of MedStat is to contribute to the sustainable and responsible fisheries management of fishery resources and fish production in the Mediterranean Sea through the implementation of a long-lasting statistical and information programme which will provide a sound basis for decision-making. The whole national statistical system developed within this activity consists of a set of databases and associated statistical data collection and implementation methodologies and procedures that primarily cover the fishing vessel census, catch and effort surveys, and other surveys targeting monitoring and management issues. Strengthening the capability of the fisheries institutions of the Mediterranean countries in marine fishery statistics and information systems, with a view to meeting the relevant national needs and requirements for participation in, and complementing in its entirety, the Mediterranean Fishery Statistics and Information System, is also considered a priority issue of MedStat.

Papers presented: 1) Reference points for fisheries management: the western Canadian experience; 2) Reference points for fisheries management: the eastern Canadian experience; 3) Reference points for fisheries management: the ICES experience; 4) Spawning stock biomass per recruit in fisheries management: foundation and current use; 5) The development of a management procedure for the South African anchovy resource; 6) How much spawning per recruit is enough?; 7) The behaviour of Flow, Fmed and Fhigh in response to variation in parameters used for their estimation; 8) The Barents Sea capelin stock collapse: a lesson to learn; 9) Variance estimates for fisheries assessment: their importance and how best to evaluate them; 10) Evaluating the accuracy of projected catch estimates from sequential population analysis and trawl survey abundance estimates; 11) Bootstrap estimates of ADAPT parameters, their projection in risk analysis and their retrospective patterns; 12) Analytical estimates of reliability for the projected yield from commercial fisheries; 13) Risk evaluation of the 10% harvest rate procedure for capelin in NAFO Division 3L; 14) Using jackknife and Monte Carlo simulation techniques to evaluate forecast models for Atlantic salmon; 15) Monte Carlo evaluation of risks for biological reference points used in New Zealand fishery assessments; 16) A comparison of event free risk analysis to Ricker spawner-recruit simulation: an example with Atlantic menhaden; 17) Choosing a management strategy for stock rebuilding when control is uncertain; 18) Risks and uncertainties in the management of a single-cohort squid fishery: the Falkland Islands Illex fishery as an example; 19) Risks of over- and under-fishing new resources; 20) Estimation of density-dependent natural mortality in British Columbia herring stocks through SSPA and its impact on sustainable harvesting strategies; 21) The comparative performance of production-model and ad hoc tuned VPA based feedback-control management procedures for the stock of Cape hake off the west coast of Africa; 22) A proposal for a threshold stock size and maximum fishing mortality rate; 23) Biological reference points for Canadian Atlantic gadoid stocks; 24) Stochastic locally-optimal harvesting; 25) ITQ based fisheries management; 26) Bioeconomic methods for determining TACs; 27) Management strategies: fixed or variable catch quotas; 28) Bioeconomic impacts of TAC adjustment strategies: a model applied to northern cod; 29) Experimental management programs for two rockfish stocks off British Columbia; 30)A brief overview of the experimental approach to reducing uncertainty in fisheries management; 31) Fisheries management organizations: a study of uncertainty.

This document assembles the reports on the marine shrimp and groundfish fisheries of northern Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and eastern Venezuela, prepared for and during the third workshop.