It is widely recognised that scientific efforts need to be coordinated to strengthen the knowledge base in support of policy-making in a global context. This is a complicated task that requires effective coordination and cooperation among States, RFOs and other agencies. States with an obligation to ensure sustainability of the resources they exploit should seek (i) to promote responsible fisheries and (ii) to promote good, coordinated scientific research. In the case of the EU, actions should be consistent with major international agreements (UNCLOS, CCRF, UNIA, WSSD) and contribute to improving coherence between different EU Policies.

The purpose of this Coordination Action is to facilitate a coherent approach towards research directed at the assessment and management of fish resources. The targets are particularly those areas where the European fleet is fishing in international or third country waters, or where the EU has important development goals. Thus, the principal objectives of TXOTX are:

• To collate information from all RFMO/RFOs and Fisheries Partnership Agreements as well as selected additional regions of special interest (with emphasis on CPA areas) on the extent of scientific research programmes being undertaken by the various actors.
• To analyse the data available and methodologies applied in assessment and management procedures regionally, in order to identify data and research gaps and opportunities for greater research coordination that may be promoted by the EU in support to scientific advice to fisheries management.
• To develop recommendations on how to improve cooperation with third parties in order to enhance research and resource status.

The TXOTX project proposes to build a network of scientist in countries with a strategic geographical distribution to produce a synthesis of data collection standards, assessment methods, management procedures with the ultimate aim to improve coordination of research programmes promoted by different bodies

Duration: April 2008 - March 2011

Participants:

• AZTI-Tecnalia (AZTI), Spain - Coordinator
• Centre for Environment Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (Cefas), UK
• Imperial College of London (ICL), UK
• Instituto de Fomento Pesquero(IFOP), Chile
• Stockholms Universitet (SU), Sweden
• University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa
• International Fisheries and Maritime Development Consultancy - Africa Office (NFDS Africa), Botswana
• Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Seychelles
• Institut National de Recherche Halieutique (INRH), Morocco
• University of Dar es Salaam - Institute of Marine Sciences (UDSM-IMS), Tanzania
• Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), Tanzania