1. The Network on Environment and Aquaculture in the Mediterranean (EAM) was created in 1992 by the FAO Mediterranean Regional Aquaculture Project (MEDRAP). The EAM effectively ceased to operate as a network in 1996. The present experts meeting took place as a follow-up of a decision by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) during its twenty-ninth session held in Rome, from 21 to 25 February 2005. The meeting was called to discuss and produce terms of reference for the re-establishment of EAM within the framework of the GFCM and in support to the Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) as well as to propose a new operational structure. Furthermore, the experts worked on identifying a list of priority issues and a timeframe proposal for the activities to be implemented in the short- and medium-term by the network.
2. The meeting was held in FAO headquarters, Rome, from 7 to 9 December 2005 and was attended by 13 experts from eight Member countries of the Commission and representatives from three partner intergovernmental organizations. The list of participants is attached as Appendix B to this report. Following a welcoming address by the Secretariat, Mr Ivan Katavić(Croatia) was nominated as chairperson and Ms Nuria Marba (Spain) was appointed as rapporteur.
3. The Agenda as adopted with minor changes is attached as Appendix A.
4. The Chairperson called for a round of short introductions of the experts and then referred to the draftTerms of Reference (TORs) of the network prepared and circulated by the Secretariat in the background meeting document (see Appendix C). The experts were invited to review the proposal clarifying that one major objective of the meeting was to discuss, agree and finalize such TORs. These would be submitted for further discussion and endorsement at the fifth session of the CAQ scheduled to take place in Spain in early June 2006.
5. The experts fully concurred on the importance to the re-establishment of the EAM as a necessary tool for the regional promotion of sustainable aquaculture development in the Mediterranean under the aegis of the Commission.It was agreed that a functional network would provide an effective mechanism in support of CAQ activities.
6. Furthermore, the experts acknowledged the suggestion that, instead of the re-establishment of EAM as in its original structure, a new and different arrangement should be considered and proposed in view of the increasing importance of the aquaculture sector among the Mediterranean countries and regional interactions.
