Report of the Regional Commission for Fisheries (RECOFI) Data Workshop Series

Book excerpt: Forty participants from the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates participated in the RECOFI Data Workshop Series: Minimum Data Reporting (MDR) regional database, RECOFI-FIRMS stocks and fisheries inventories and SDG Indicator 14.4.1: Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels. The workshop reviewed the MDR indicators and priority species list for endorsement, reviewed the presentation of pilot MDR RECOFI regional database and adopted an MDR data submission template. With regards to the RECOFI – FIRMS stocks and fisheries inventories, the workshop acknowledged the progress made so far and recommended that the Member Countries finalize and publish the RECOFI Fisheries inventory. The workshop also recognized the importance of publishing the work on the priority species presented at each meeting of the WGFM under the RECOFI - FIRMS collection as marine resource fact sheets. The workshop discussed the focal points list for MDR/FIRMS that will be circulated to Member Countries for finalisation and further discussed at the next meeting of the WGFM and approved at the next session of RECOFI. On SDG 14.4.1, the workshop agreed that the SDG 14.4.1 focal point list would be verified and validated and RECOFI Members’ reference list of stocks would be confirmed as either shared, transboundary and national, and communicate any issues with the outcomes.