At its Fifth Session held at Lomé, Togo, in March 1977, the FAO Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic (CECAF) requested FAO to organize four meetings within the framework of the Subcommittee on Management of Resources Within the Limits of National Jurisdiction, so that the coastal countries might establish programmes for the management of their resources (Resolution CECAF/V/2). Among the coastal pelagic stocks of the northern CECAF region, the sardinella, horse mackerel and mackerel were part of the resources to be considered. The CECAF Project called this meeting of the Working Group to evaluate the state of exploitation of these stocks and to recommend management measures.
A special invitation was sent by the Government of Senegal to the Government of the USSR in order to secure the participation of Soviet scientists.
The Working Group met at the Centre de recherches océanographiques de Dakar-Thiaroye (CRODT) under the Chairmanship of Mr. J. Chabanne.
Messrs. J.A. Gulland, P. Fréon and M. Ansa-Emmim were elected Rapporteurs for the Meeting.
The Session began with the introductory speeches of Mr. Chabanne, Mr. S. García1/ and Mr. Gulland, who welcomed the participants and underscored the importance of the subject under discussion, and the problems connected with a proper knowledge of the biology and dynamics of the species. Mr. Gulland stressed the value of exchanging data and the application of the results of the analyses for the elaboration of fisheries management policy.
1/
Director, CRODT, Dakar
