IX. ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE AND FUNCTIONING OF EIFAC

72. Discussion of the document EIFAC/2004/4 “Assessment of the Role and Functioning of EIFAC” led to the following conclusions and decisions by the Commission.

73. EIFAC lacks funds to support its activities. However, the establishment of a special fund within EIFAC would meet with serious administrative obstacles. The Session therefore decided to continue the practice of searching for dedicated funding as the need arises. The establishment of appropriate partnerships with other organizations should help to achieve this. IUCN expressed interest and willingness in participating in such a partnership.

74. The National Correspondents have to play a more active role in promoting national and international collaboration among fisheries scientists, managers and administrators. National Correspondents should maintain a national database of fisheries institutions and fisheries scientists, thus enabling the flow of information to and from these partners. This concerns particularly the announcement of EIFAC symposia and sessions. National Correspondents and their ministries should be briefed on their function by the Chairperson, based on a duty sheet that will be prepared by the Executive Committee, assisted by the Secretariat.

75. Dialogue with the European Commission should be intensified. A mission representing EIFAC should be sent to consult with relevant EC Directorates to influence their policies and programmes on aquaculture and fisheries. Appropriate communication channels should be established wherever possible, and EIFAC should be represented at relevant EU consultations. Ideally, EIFAC should enjoy the same advisory relationship on inland fisheries with regard to the EU as does the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on marine matters.

76. The item “Emerging Issues” should become a standing item on the agenda of EIFAC Sessions and its Executive Committee meetings. National Correspondents have to identify and communicate emerging issues in a pro-active way.

77. The technical and policy output of EIFAC should be more widely disseminated both among Member States and to policy-makers within the States. One mechanism to achieve this might be the establishment of networks within Member Countries. Feedback from the Members defining their expectations concerning the work of EIFAC, is crucial and has to be solicited by the Commission. National Correspondents should better plan and facilitate participation by appropriate national delegates in EIFAC activities, especially at EIFAC sessions. The Chairperson of EIFAC should encourage timely response from National Correspondents, and motivate participation of national delegates in the Commission’s activities at all times.

78. Working Party conveners should make full use of the EIFAC list server and the opportunities provided by the EIFAC webpage^[3] to promote and disseminate EIFAC activities. Efforts should be made to encourage younger people to participate in EIFAC activities.

79. EIFAC should continue to produce publications of high scientific quality in all fields covered by the Commission. Benefits of such information dissemination include higher motivation of scientists to collaborate, and a wider dispersal of the work of EIFAC. The collaboration that has been established between FAO and some publishers of scientific journals has proven to be a workable alternative and should be considered in future.

80. The outcomes of recommendations taken as a result of discussions of the issues raised in document EIFAC/XXIII/2004/4 will be evaluated at the Twenty-fourth Session, for which the Chairperson will prepare a short report.