The main objectives of the meeting and workshop:

• Discuss and facilitate key processes and activities for the implementation of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management in the Northwest Africa region;
• Introduce participants to concepts and principles relevant to Ecological Risk Assessment Methodology;
• Discuss modalities for the formation and functioning of Regional and National EAF Task Groups;
• Introduction to the preparation of EAF Baseline;
• Examine the concept notes prepared for initial in-country activities under the EAF-Nansen project.

The main objectives of the expert meeting:

• identify suitable indicators for fisheries management, as required for the application of EAF;
• discuss the properties of these indicators such as relevance in relation to main subsets of management objectives, data availability, practicality, etc.
• provide advice on methodologies for deriving indicators and on methodologies for integration/aggregation and visualization of indicators.

The meetings was attended by 12 experts from Australia, Canada, Norway, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States and FAO. In preparation for the expert meeting, three reviews covering the three main categories of management issues related to ecological well-being, human well-being, and ability to achieve, were undertaken to establish what relevant indicators are available for EAF, their properties, and whether/where they have been used. In particular, each review provided: a structured assessment of available indicators for fisheries management, relevant to EAF issues and operational objectives, classified in accordance with the hierarchical tree framework for identifying major issues in fisheries. Each review was to put special emphasis on applicability in developing countries and/or data-poor situations. The reviews provided background documents for the expert meeting.

Report

Prospectus | Notes for participants