Date of establishment and legal framework: the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean of the FAO (GFCM) is an inter-governmental organization established under Article XIV of the FAO Constitution and part of the UN System. The GFCM Agreement was registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations on 5 April 1952 under No. 1691. Amendments were approved by the Twelfth Session of the FAO Conference (1963). At its Thirteenth Session (July 1976), the GFCM adopted further amendments to its Agreement which were approved by the Seventieth Session of the FAO Council (1976). At its Twenty-second Session held in Rome from 13 to 16 October 1997, the GFCM adopted two sets of amendments which were approved by the FAO Council at its 113th Session (1997). The first set of amendments concerned changes inter alia to allow for regional economic integration organizations that are Members of FAO to become members of GFCM and to change the name of GFCM into "General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean" (it was previously a Council). The second set of amendments came into force on 29 April 2004, on their acceptance by two-thirds of the Members of the Commission and thereafter for each Member on its acceptance thereof. A new amendment process is currently ongoing as a result of the performance review of the GFCM carried out in the 2009-2011 biennium.

Objectives of organization: to promote the development, conservation, rational management and best utilization of living marine resources and marine ecosystems where they are found, as well as the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In addition, as it was created according to Article XIV of the FAO Constitution, the GFCM share the same goals of the FAO and it therefore contributes to promote, within its regional remit, sustainable development, food security and poverty eradication.

Main activities and major achievements: the GFCM is one of the most storied FAO bodies and celebrated 60 years of existence in 2012; it is among the very few organizations promoting cooperation in common issues in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where coastal States with very different backgrounds are found and is open to all States Members of the FAO; it has a solid body of conservation and management measures adopted to protect marine living resources; it convenes many technical meetings on annual basis which pioneer the development of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and the protection of marine ecosystems at regional and sub-regional level; it focuses on technical assistance and capacity building towards GFCM developing countries; it has a dynamic and evolving framework ideal for the implementation of recent developments and commitments such as those agreed upon at the "Rio +20".

Abdellah Srour

Executive Secretary. He is a Fisheries Engineer specialized in population dynamic and management of fisheries. He has served the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) as Deputy Executive Secretary from 2005 until 2011, when he became the Executive Secretary of the Commission.

Official address: GFCM HQ, Palazzo Blumenstihl - 2nd floor, Via Vittoria Colonna, 100193, Rome, Italy

T: (+39) 06 57055766  F: (+39) 06 57055827 , E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., W: http://www.gfcm.org

Contact person responsible for the organisation of the project’s work (the coordinator): Name: Nicola Ferri, E: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.