RECREATIONAL FISHERIES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN: FAO ACTIVITIES Cassandra De Young FAO/GFCM 1 st Congress on Recreational Angling in the Mediterranean September, 2006 Palma de Mallorca

INTRODUCTION Brief Presentation of the FAO Fisheries Department and GFCM w.r.t. Recreational Fisheries Brief Presentation of the FAO Fisheries Department and GFCM w.r.t. Recreational Fisheries Thoughts on the potential role of the FAO Fisheries Department in developing sustainable recreational fisheries Thoughts on the potential role of the FAO Fisheries Department in developing sustainable recreational fisheries

A PARTIAL GLANCE AT THE FAO FISHERIES DEPARTMENT and RECREATIONAL FISHERIES FAO COFI CoC Stand-alone Activities FishSTAT et al. RFB EIFACGFCM SAC Sub-regional Projects CAQ Note: not an hierarchical representation! 1 2 3

1a : FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its Technical Guidelines Recreational Fisheries are not explicitly mentioned in the CoC Recreational Fisheries are not explicitly mentioned in the CoC However, they are there implicitly However, they are there implicitly And are explicitly included in three CoC Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries: And are explicitly included in three CoC Technical Guidelines for Responsible Fisheries: Fisheries Management Fisheries Management Precautionary Principle Precautionary Principle EAF EAF

RECREATIONAL FISHERIES Perhaps Recreational Fisheries merit their own Technical Guidelines?

1b : One Stand-alone Activity The State of the World’s Marine Capture Fisheries Management Questionnaire on Legislative and Management Frameworks Questionnaire on Legislative and Management Frameworks Large-scale/Industrial Large-scale/Industrial Small-scale/Artisanal/Subsistence Small-scale/Artisanal/Subsistence Recreational/Sports/Spear fishing Recreational/Sports/Spear fishing 1. Management & Management tools in use 2. Costs and funding of fisheries management 3. Stakeholder involvement in fisheries management 4. Conflict Management 5. Compliance and Enforcement 6. Capacity Management # of different recreational fisheries included: # of different recreational fisheries included: Indian Ocean: 18 in 9/30 countries responding Indian Ocean: 18 in 9/30 countries responding Pacific Ocean: 45 in 18/29 countries responding Pacific Ocean: 45 in 18/29 countries responding Atlantic Ocean: 2007 Atlantic Ocean: 2007 Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas: 2007 Mediterranean, Black, and Caspian Seas: 2007

2 : FAO FISHSTAT Official landings data collected are by species and water body – not by fleet segment Official landings data collected are by species and water body – not by fleet segment However, recreational fisheries landings are “included” in these data However, recreational fisheries landings are “included” in these data But, difficult to separate them out But, difficult to separate them out Visions of collecting data by fleet segments Visions of collecting data by fleet segments Perhaps meta-data approaches ? e.g. FIGIS Perhaps meta-data approaches ? e.g. FIGIS

3a : FAO Regional Fishery Bodies EIFAC 1996 Symposium on social, economic, and management aspects of [freshwater] recreational fisheries 5 Sessions: 1. Current status and trends 2. Interactions between fisheries and outside influences 3. Interactions between fisheries and other user groups 4. Socio-economic and legal aspects of recreational fisheries 5. Criteria for the management of recreational fisheries Recreational Fisheries: Social, Economic, and Management Aspects. Edited by Phil Hickley and Helena Tompkins. FAO.

Symposium Recommendations to EIFAC: Improved data collection systems established with pre-defined criteria to provide comparable basic data - EIFAC Data collection Form Improved data collection systems established with pre-defined criteria to provide comparable basic data - EIFAC Data collection Form Developed methods for the application of socio-economic value estimates Developed methods for the application of socio-economic value estimates EIFAC working party on communication and education should be established to improve communication amongst all players EIFAC working party on communication and education should be established to improve communication amongst all players EIFAC working party on recreational fisheries to produce European Code of Good Practice for Recreational Fishing EIFAC working party on recreational fisheries to produce European Code of Good Practice for Recreational Fishing Symposium Recommendations to National Agencies: Adopt integrated, sustainable, long-term approach to aquatic resource management Adopt integrated, sustainable, long-term approach to aquatic resource management Ensure that the true economic and social value of these fisheries be included in decision-making processes Ensure that the true economic and social value of these fisheries be included in decision-making processes Monitor, evaluate, and adjust management strategies Monitor, evaluate, and adjust management strategies

3b : GFCM at a glance GFCM CAQSAC SCESS SCSI SCMEE SCSA Sub-regional Projects AdriaMed CopeMed MedSudMed EastMed

3b : GFCM recent events w.r.t. recreational fisheries 2005 – Adopted the ICCAT measures for recreational fishing activities in the Med. Sea Loosely, 1. Forbid the use of towed nets, encircling nets, seine sliding, dredgers, gillnets, trammelnet and longline to fish for tuna and tuna-like species 2. Ensure that catches of said species are not marketed 3. Collect and Transmit catch data

3b : GFCM activities (cont’d) 2006 The International Angling Confederation (CIPS) joined the GFCM as an observer The International Angling Confederation (CIPS) joined the GFCM as an observer Became one of three priority research areas for the SCESS: Became one of three priority research areas for the SCESS: “study the legislative and socio-economic aspects of recreational fisheries”

3b: GFCM SCESS SCESS 2006 Proposed 2 priority areas to move toward a baseline understanding: 1) an analysis of the legal frameworks regarding recreational fisheries amongst GFCM countries; 2) an exploratory survey of the socio-economic status of recreational fisheries amongst GFCM countries. Sub-regional and other projects will help here.... e.g. AdriaMed, SFITUM, Italian CoC SF, EC Data Collection Regulation That’s all for past and recent activities...

Potential (?) roles of the FAO in promoting sustainable recreational fisheries At a global level: Continue to provide international fora for exchange at both the technical and political levels Continue to provide international fora for exchange at both the technical and political levels Assist in bringing recognition of recreational fisheries to higher political levels at a global scale Assist in bringing recognition of recreational fisheries to higher political levels at a global scale Develop FAO Technical Guidelines on Recreational Fisheries Develop FAO Technical Guidelines on Recreational Fisheries At the Mediterranean level: Jointly organized symposiums (GFCM, EC, Associations, Universities, etc) Jointly organized symposiums (GFCM, EC, Associations, Universities, etc) Draft GFCM Code of Good Practice? Basin-wide norms Draft GFCM Code of Good Practice? Basin-wide norms Provide regional reviews and comparative analyses Provide regional reviews and comparative analyses Undertake socio-economic analyses vis-à-vis ICCAT recommendations Undertake socio-economic analyses vis-à-vis ICCAT recommendations

KIND THANKS!