INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN MALTA NEXT WEEK

The Maltese Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is hosting the 25^thSession of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) which is being held between the 12^th and the 15^th September at the Crowne Plaza Malta in Sliema. The GFCM is a body of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (United Nations) that has for a good number of years been responsible for setting guidelines and codes for the development and sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions. The meetings of the Commission are attended by representatives from its member countries and observers from other international fisheries and marine conservation bodies. The European Union has also joined the GFCM as a member alongside its member states.

Over the last two years, the GFCM has been working on the formulation of a capture fisheries management regime for the Mediterranean through the help of experts from all member countries who constitute its Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC has four sub-committees that deal with –

stock assessment

statistics and information

socio-economics and

the environment.

In addition, FAO regional projects have given major contributions to the work of each sub-committee. The GFCM also has a Committee on Aquaculture which has recently been working on the application of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries with respect to the Mediterranean aquaculture industry.

During the last few years, the GFCM has been contemplating its move to become autonomous and agreement on the scale of contributions to its budget by its members has been sought. To date, only Malta, Cyprus, Turkey and the European Union have ratified the necessary amendments to the GFCM statute. During the last GFCM meeting held in Spain in July 1999, progress had been made on the issue of the scale of contributions to the autonomous budget and it is envisaged that at the Malta meeting, a final agreement will be reached.

Malta has, on a number of occasions, officially offered premises for the GFCM headquarters should the Commission withdraw from FAO premises.

From the 11^th to the 15^th September, concurrently with the Meeting, there will also be a joint working group of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which will discuss stocks of large pelagic fish (bluefin tuna and swordfish) in the Mediterranean Sea.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Hon. Ninu Zammit will be delivering the inaugural speech for this meeting on Tuesday, 12^th September at 09.30 a.m. at the St. George's Room of the Crowne Plaza, Sliema.

Seventy eight delegates from more than twenty countries and organisations shall be attending these meetings.