Research Activities 1998 onwards

(A) COPEMED - FAO Regional Project (since 1998)

Several activities of this Spanish-funded FAO project are expected to assist in developing a management policy for the Mediterranean region within the framework of the GFCM.

Malta is involved in the following major COPEMED research activities:
COPEMED
www.faocopemed.org/en/index.htm

FAO
www.fao.org

A project to study the multi-species , multi-gear artisanal fisheries in the Central and Western Mediterranean.

Field surveys have been carried out by Fisheries Officers and data collected has been processed and included in a National report.

Maltese data and information have been entered in a Geographical Information System (GIS) regional database.

This regional GIS database is a powerful tool which could be used for the sound management of artisanal fisheries in the Mediterranean.

The results of the project have clearly demonstrated the importance of artisanal fisheries and hence will be given special attention when a Mediterranean Common Fisheries Policy will be formulated by the GFCM in the near future.

For more information link to Malta Artisanal Fisheries Report

Research on fisheries biology of blue-fin tuna and swordfish (Xiphias gladius) in the Mediterranean Sea.

Malta is participating by collecting fishing effort and landings data as well as biological data together with Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and Italy.

The results of the analyses of the pooled national data are used to issue recommendations (eg. total allowable catches, closed seasons) on the exploitation of these Mediterranean stocks.

For more information link to Copemed Tuna Project Reports

Malta, Sicily, Tunisia and Mallorca are participating in this research project which is expected to provide the basis for a future Mediterranean management regime for this migratory species; the exploitation of lampuki is not currently regulated on an international scale.

Studies have been focusing on fishing effort, landings, biology and population dynamics of this species.

Maltese fishermen from various districts have contributed to the collection of data on population dynamics and a sample from their catches have been studied at the laboratories of Fort San Lucjan.

Malta has collected data on catches and fishing effort by fishing vessel and it’s associated kannizzati.

A better understanding of the lampuki Mediterranean population characteristics such as fecundity, growth and maturity, recruitment, sex ratio, length distribution and age distribution. Genetic studies are also being carried out to help identify the precise origin of this migrating population.

Data from each participating country will be analysed and a final report on this research project, including conclusions and recommendations, will be drawn up by mid-2002.

For more information go to www.faocopemed.org/en/activ/research/dolphinfish.htm

The DFA has joined a Mediterranean fisheries sampling network within the framework of the COPEMED Project through the following activities / schemes :

• Through the support of COPEMED and FAO expertise, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (Malta) has set-up a reliable and efficient computerised fisheries statistics system (MALTASTAT) which would satisfy its obligations with international fisheries bodies and the European Union.
  
• MaltaStat included a register / inventory of fishing vessels, an automatic
  reporting facility and a licensing facility.

In parallel to the development of a new computerised statistics scheme, the DFA has embarked on a catch assessment programme with the support of FAO, whereby catches and fishing effort of the Maltese fishing fleet could be monitored.

Extensive research on vessel activities has been carried out since 1999 and a number of pilot studies have taken place in order to design the sampling methodology required for the local fishing fleet.

Reliable statistics on these parameters are vital for sound fisheries management and the scheme will take official status in January 2002 .

A new approach being adopted by the GFCM for the management of fisheries in the Mediterranean is to control the fishing effort of “Operational Units”.

Operational Units are a function o the category of fishing vessel, fishing operation, species stocks, economic category of the vessel etc.

Research on the identification of these Operational Units is underway in many regions of the Mediterranean and the DFA has been the first to submit is preliminary result to FAO.

More information on Operational Units is available here: www.faocopemed.org/en/sac/docs.htm