1. At the International Symposium on “Tuna Fishing and FAD”, which was held in October 1999 in Martinique, the issue of exchanging scientific information on the use of FAD around the world was discussed. Following the symposium, the French Research Institute for the Exploitation of the Sea (Ifremer) approached the WECAFC Secretariat offering to collaborate in establishing a network to:
discuss the use of a standardized database to monitor the exploitation of pelagic fish species in the Lesser Antilles; and
promote subregional research and exchange of information on appropriate fishing methods around moored FAD.
2. Ifremer’s offer was considered further at the FAO sponsored workshop on “The Effects of Globalization and Deregulation on Fisheries”. Lesser Antilles participants at that workshop agreed that FAO should use its good office to stimulate dialogue between Ifremer and the countries, and jointly organize a meeting on the Sustainable Development of Moored FAD Fishing. It was also agreed that such a group could be established under the aegis of the WECAFC, taking the form of the existing ad hoc working groups of the Commission. Ifremer and WECAFC/FAO further agreed to co-sponsor the first meeting during 2001.
3. The first Meeting of the proposed working group was convened at the Ifremer Station, Le Robert, Martinique, during the period 8 to 11 October 2001.
4. The Meeting was jointly organized by the Ifremer Antilles Station in Martinique and the FAO/WECAFC, with financial and technical support from the Conseil Régional, the Conseil Général, Europe (FEDER), and the FAO Fisheries Industry Division (FIIT), respectively.
5. The objectives of the Meeting were:
to generally exchange information on national experiences with FAD fishing;
to examine the technical and scientific issues involved in FAD construction and deployment;
to examine the quantitative and qualitative information available or required for the development sustainable FAD fishing activities;
to establish a subregional reference point on present status FAD fishing development; and to promote subregional cooperation in the development and management of FAD fishing.
