Copemed Workshop on Artisanal Fisheries to be held in Malta

Thirty seven officials from Malta, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, France, Spain and FAO (COPEMED), will be taking part in a workshop on Artisanal Fisheries, which will be analyzing the statistical information given by each participating country with regards to the characteristics of its artisanal fisheries sector.

This information and the joint analysis that will be carried out will help as first step to establish an homogeneous list of all fishing practices in use in the Western Mediterranean.

In the long term more detailed information would help COPEMED to implement pilot studies in well-defined zones.

Further more studies would also be undertaken to define fisheries management strategies which will be beneficial to both the Fisheries sector and the administration.

Malta will be represented by Mr. Charles Busuttil of the Fisheries Department and Mr. Joe Bonello of the Central Office of Statistics.

The Workshop will take place between the 9^th and 13^th March 1998. The Minister of Agriculture and fisheries, Noel Farrugia is scheduled to open the workshop on Monday 9^th March at 09.00 hours at the Gillieru Hotel, St. Paul's Bay and he will also address the concluding the concluding session on Thursday 12^th March at 17.00 hours.