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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The regional workshop on aquaculture governance and regulatory issues was held on 2–3 October 2018 in Larnaca, Cyprus. It was organized by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in cooperation with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment of Cyprus. The workshop was attended by 36 participants from 19 countries, the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries of the European Commission and the GFCM Secretariat. The workshop was organized in line with the strategy for the sustainable development of Mediterranean and Black Sea aquaculture adopted at the forty-first session (Montenegro, October 2017) of the GFCM, which Target 1 aims at ensuring that aquaculture in the region is managed by dedicated regulations. The workshop was held in order to provide an insight into the multifaceted aspects of governance in the region and specifically aimed to: i) take stock of existing regulatory and administrative frameworks governing aquaculture in Mediterranean and Black Sea riparian countries; ii) present case studies on selected issues related to governance, including MSP and the social acceptability of aquaculture and iii) discuss principles, guidelines and emerging issues in aquaculture governance and regulatory aspects in support to the implementation of the strategy. It represented an opportunity to exchange information on the state of aquaculture governance in Mediterranean and Black Sea riparian countries, including specific case studies, and on guiding principles for aquaculture governance and regulatory issues.