High-level Pan-European Conference on Agriculture and Biodiversity

by Council of Europe. Council for the Pan-European Strategy for Biological and Landscape Diversity

2005 · Council of Europe

This publication contains a number of reports prepared for a high-level conference on issues relating to biological and landscape diversity in European agricultural policies, held in Paris in June 2002. The conference made recommendations to states and relevant organisations and provided input to policy work and programmes within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ministerial Conference on Environment for Europe , the Convention to Combat Desertification and the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and national policy developments.

Report and Documentation of the Expert Workshop on Marine Protected Areas and Fisheries Management

by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2007 · Food & Agriculture Org.

This document contains the report of the workshop and the background papers commissioned for the meeting. The report, and in particular the 'Key Points' adopted by the workshop, will serve as basis for further work on developing technical guidelines for the design, implementation and review of MPAs.

Management Techniques for Elasmobranch Fisheries

by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2005 · Food & Agriculture Org.

This publication describes the scientific principles and techniques used for resource management of elasmobranch fisheries with emphasis on the particular context of elasmobranchs. The management characteristics of these fishes are described - their common bycatch character and their biological constraints on productivity (low growth rate, late maturity and low fecundity). Stock assessment of elasmobranchs is described in the context of management objectives in a wide management context. Special attention is given to accurate species identification given the prevalent aggregating of landings data across species, genera and often families in this group. Techniques and experiences for tagging elasmobranchs for population estimation are described as well as methods of genetic techniques for stock identification.

Marine Protected Areas

by National Research Council, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, Ocean Studies Board, Committee on the Evaluation, Design, and Monitoring of Marine Reserves and Protected Areas in the United States

2001 · National Academies Press

Although the ocean-and the resources within-seem limitless, there is clear evidence that human impacts such as overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution disrupt marine ecosystems and threaten the long-term productivity of the seas. Declining yields in many fisheries and decay of treasured marine habitats, such as coral reefs, has heightened interest in establishing a comprehensive system of marine protected areas (MPAs)-areas designated for special protection to enhance the management of marine resources. Therefore, there is an urgent need to evaluate how MPAs can be employed in the United States and internationally as tools to support specific conservation needs of marine and coastal waters. Marine Protected Areas compares conventional management of marine resources with proposals to augment these management strategies with a system of protected areas. The volume argues that implementation of MPAs should be incremental and adaptive, through the design of areas not only to conserve resources, but also to help us learn how to manage marine species more effectively.

Product Certification and Ecolabelling for Fisheries Sustainability

by Cathy A. Roheim, Cathy R. Wessells, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2001 · Food & Agriculture Org.

This document considers product certification and ecolabelling schemes used for fish and fishery products. It discusses the characteristics and theoretical foundations of these programmes, the links to international trade law; and other institutional aspects.

Increasing Capacity for Stewardship of Oceans and Coasts

by National Research Council, Division on Earth and Life Studies, Ocean Studies Board, Committee on International Capacity-Building for the Protection and Sustainable Use of Oceans and Coasts

2008 · National Academies Press

Marine environments support the livelihoods, economies, and quality of life for communities around the world. But growth of coastal populations and increasing demands on marine resources are putting the future of ocean and coastal resources at risk through impacts such as overfishing, wetland drainage, climate change, and pollution of coastal waters. Given these demands, it is vital to build capacity-the people, the institutions, and technology and tools-needed to manage ocean resources. Unfortunately, many capacity building efforts focus on specific projects rather than on capacity building as goal unto itself, resulting in activities that are not funded or sustained past the typically short project lifetime. This book finds that the most successful capacity-building efforts meet the needs of a specific locale or region based on periodic assessments and include plans to maintain and expand capacity after the project ends. The report recommends ways that governments and organizations can help strengthen marine protection and management capacity, including conducting periodic program assessments, making plans to sustain funding, and developing leadership and political will. The book was produced at the request of Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the President's Circle of the National Academies, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, the Marisla Foundation, and the Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation.

Deep Sea 2003: Conference reports

by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2005 · Food & Agriculture Org.

This is the first of the two-volume proceedings from "Deep Sea 2003: Conference on the Governance and Management of Deep-sea Fisheries. It includes the keynote addresses and papers presented on the Conference themes that covered: environment, ecosystem biology, habitat, diversity and oceanography; population biology and resource assessment; harvesting and conservation strategies for resource management; technology requirements; monitoring, compliance and controls; a review of existing policies and instruments; and governance and management. It also provides the perspectives of participating experts and the Conference Steering Committee. The general conclusions of the Conference contain the elements that must be addressed and undertaken if deep-sea fish resources are to be sustained and their habitat protected to ensure productivity and safeguard deep-sea biodiversity. The second volume of the proceedings (FAO Fisheries Proceedings No. 3/2, ISBN 92-5-105457-6) includes posters and corresponding papers presented at the Conference as well as papers from workshops held prior to the main Conference.

Report of the Twenty-sixth Session of the Committee on Fisheries

by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Committee on Fisheries. Session, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

2005 · Food & Agriculture Org.

The twenty-sixth session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) was held in Rome, Italy, from 7 to 11 March 2005. The Committee reviewed the issues of an international character and the programme of work of the FAO Fisheries Department in fisheries and aquaculture. The Committee commended FAO on its report on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its associated instruments and called for a "decade of implementation" of the various instruments developed to ensure responsible fisheries. The Committee called upon Members to accept, ratify or accede to, as appropriate, these instruments. The Committee encouraged FAO to elaborate additional guidelines in support of the Code, including one for the implementation of the International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity. The need to initiate international negotiations on the monitoring of fishing vessels within the framework of the Code of Conduct concerning its implementation was underlined. The Committee welcomed the revised Code and Voluntary Guidelines for the Design, Construction and Equipment of Small Fishing Vessels that had been prepared by FAO, the International Labour Organization and the International Maritime Organization. The Committee expressed concern at the proliferation of international fora addressing fisheries matters, some of which lacked sound technical and scientific bases for discussion. The FAO's medium- to long-term rehabilitation strategy for the fisheries and aquaculture sector in countries affected by the Tsunami was endorsed. Guidelines on ecolabelling of fish and fishery products were adopted. The Committee agreed to give greater attention to small-scale fisheries and to allocate more resources in their support. The Committee expressed its appreciation to FAO and donor countries for giving greater attention to small-scale fisheries and for allocating more resources in their support. It welcomed the advance version of the Code of Conduct Guidelines on Enhancing the Contribution of Small-Scale Fisheries to Poverty Alleviation and Food Security. The Committee stressed that COFI and FAO should continue to provide leadership and maintain an assertive role in fisheries. The Committee commended FAO for the improvements made in the presentation of the Medium Term Plan and Preliminary Programme of Work Proposals for 2006-2007. The Committee underlined that additional allotments should be made to the Major Programme 2.3 "Fisheries". Book jacket.