Suchergebnisse

The stock concept plays a pivotal role in fisheries assessment and management. Stocks are defined according to biological, geographical, economic or socio-political factors. The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) has established thirty management geographical sub-areas (GSAs) based on political and statistical considerations rather than biological or economic factors. Here, we present our view on the main biological and ecological aspects that should be considered for delineating different management units in the Mediterranean. We focus on the Balearic Islands (GSA05) as a case study highlighting its specificities compared to the adjacent coast of the Iberian Peninsula (GSA06), but the approach could be generalized to the problem of identifying stock boundaries in other areas. The work is based on published information from different marine disciplines such as geomorphology, ecology and fisheries, combined with the analysis of new data coming from official fishery statistics and scientific surveys. This approach avoids the important drawbacks (inconclusive results, high costs) of other time-consuming techniques used in stock identification, such as genetics. According to the information presented, we conclude that GSA05 should be maintained as an individualized area for assessment and management purposes in the western Mediterranean. ; El concepto de stock juega un papel clave en la evaluación y gestión de pesquerías. Los stocks se definen en base a factores biológicos, geográficos, económicos o socio-políticos. La Comisión General de Pesca para el Mediterráneo (CGPM) ha establecido treinta subáreas geográficas de gestión (GSAs) basándose más en consideraciones políticas y estadísticas que en factores biológicos o económicos. En este trabajo presentamos nuestro punto de vista sobre los principales aspectos que deberían considerarse para definir diferentes unidades de gestión en el Mediterráneo. Aunque nos hemos centrado en las Islas Baleares (GSA05) como caso de estudio, resaltando sus especificidades en relación a las costas adyacentes de la Península Ibérica (GSA06), el enfoque podría generalizarse al problema de la identificación de stocks en otras áreas. El trabajo combina el uso de información publicada de diferentes disciplinas marinas como la geomorfología, ecología y pesquerías, con el análisis de datos inéditos procedentes de estadísticas pesqueras oficiales y campañas científicas. El enfoque que presentamos evita importantes inconvenientes (resultados no concluyentes, elevados costes) de otras técnicas más complejas y laboriosas utilizadas en la identificación de stocks como la genética. En base a la información presentada, concluimos que la GSA05 debería mantenerse como un área individualizada para la evaluación y gestión en el Mediterráneo Occidental.

International audience ; Independence of science and best available science are fundamental pillars of the UN-FAO code of conduct 41 for responsible fisheries and are also applied to the European Union (EU) Common Fishery Policy (CFP), 42 with the overarching objective being the sustainable exploitation of the fisheries resources. CFP is 43 developed by DG MARE, the department of the European Commission responsible for EU policy on 44 maritime affairs and fisheries, which has the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries 45 (STECF) as consultant body. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the General Fisheries Commission for the 46 Mediterranean (FAO-GFCM), with its own Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (GFCM-SAC), plays a 47 critical role in fisheries governance, having the authority to adopt binding recommendations for fisheries 48 conservation and management. During the last years, advice on the status of the main stocks in the 49 Mediterranean and Black Sea has been provided both by GFCM-SAC and EU-STECF, often without a clear 50coordination and a lack of shared rules and practices. This has led in the past to: i) duplications of the 51 advice on the status of the stocks thus adding confusion in the management process and, ii) a continuous 52 managers' interference in the scientific process by DG MARE officials hindering its transparency and 53 independence. Thus, it is imperative that this stalemate is rapidly resolved and that the free role of science 54 in Mediterranean fisheries assessment and management is urgently restored to assure the sustainable 55 exploitation of Mediterranean marine resources in the future.

International audience ; Independence of science and best available science are fundamental pillars of the UN-FAO code of conduct 41 for responsible fisheries and are also applied to the European Union (EU) Common Fishery Policy (CFP), 42 with the overarching objective being the sustainable exploitation of the fisheries resources. CFP is 43 developed by DG MARE, the department of the European Commission responsible for EU policy on 44 maritime affairs and fisheries, which has the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries 45 (STECF) as consultant body. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the General Fisheries Commission for the 46 Mediterranean (FAO-GFCM), with its own Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (GFCM-SAC), plays a 47 critical role in fisheries governance, having the authority to adopt binding recommendations for fisheries 48 conservation and management. During the last years, advice on the status of the main stocks in the 49 Mediterranean and Black Sea has been provided both by GFCM-SAC and EU-STECF, often without a clear 50coordination and a lack of shared rules and practices. This has led in the past to: i) duplications of the 51 advice on the status of the stocks thus adding confusion in the management process and, ii) a continuous 52 managers' interference in the scientific process by DG MARE officials hindering its transparency and 53 independence. Thus, it is imperative that this stalemate is rapidly resolved and that the free role of science 54 in Mediterranean fisheries assessment and management is urgently restored to assure the sustainable 55 exploitation of Mediterranean marine resources in the future.

International audience ; Independence of science and best available science are fundamental pillars of the UN-FAO code of conduct 41 for responsible fisheries and are also applied to the European Union (EU) Common Fishery Policy (CFP), 42 with the overarching objective being the sustainable exploitation of the fisheries resources. CFP is 43 developed by DG MARE, the department of the European Commission responsible for EU policy on 44 maritime affairs and fisheries, which has the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries 45 (STECF) as consultant body. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the General Fisheries Commission for the 46 Mediterranean (FAO-GFCM), with its own Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (GFCM-SAC), plays a 47 critical role in fisheries governance, having the authority to adopt binding recommendations for fisheries 48 conservation and management. During the last years, advice on the status of the main stocks in the 49 Mediterranean and Black Sea has been provided both by GFCM-SAC and EU-STECF, often without a clear 50coordination and a lack of shared rules and practices. This has led in the past to: i) duplications of the 51 advice on the status of the stocks thus adding confusion in the management process and, ii) a continuous 52 managers' interference in the scientific process by DG MARE officials hindering its transparency and 53 independence. Thus, it is imperative that this stalemate is rapidly resolved and that the free role of science 54 in Mediterranean fisheries assessment and management is urgently restored to assure the sustainable 55 exploitation of Mediterranean marine resources in the future.

International audience Independence of science and best available science are fundamental pillars of the UN-FAO code of conduct 41 for responsible fisheries and are also applied to the European Union (EU) Common Fishery Policy (CFP), 42 with the overarching objective being the sustainable exploitation of the fisheries resources. CFP is 43 developed by DG MARE, the department of the European Commission responsible for EU policy on 44 maritime affairs and fisheries, which has the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries 45 (STECF) as consultant body. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, the General Fisheries Commission for the 46 Mediterranean (FAO-GFCM), with its own Scientific Advisory Committee on Fisheries (GFCM-SAC), plays a 47 critical role in fisheries governance, having the authority to adopt binding recommendations for fisheries 48 conservation and management. During the last years, advice on the status of the main stocks in the 49 Mediterranean and Black Sea has been provided both by GFCM-SAC and EU-STECF, often without a clear 50coordination and a lack of shared rules and practices. This has led in the past to: i) duplications of the 51 advice on the status of the stocks thus adding confusion in the management process and, ii) a continuous 52 managers' interference in the scientific process by DG MARE officials hindering its transparency and 53 independence. Thus, it is imperative that this stalemate is rapidly resolved and that the free role of science 54 in Mediterranean fisheries assessment and management is urgently restored to assure the sustainable 55 exploitation of Mediterranean marine resources in the future.