Rationale
Since its establishment by the Strategic Action Program in 1999, the PERSGA Regional Living Marine Resources (LMR) program has been undertaking a multitude of program activities that support capacity building and regional cooperation for sustainable management of living marine resources and fisheries. These entail conducting regular training workshops on various aspects of fisheries management, implementing on-the-ground demo projects for sustainable and responsible fishery practices, improvement of fishery data collection and assessment systems, adoption of ecosystem based fisheries and environmentally friendly aquaculture approaches, etc. Coinciding with its mission and relevance to a number of international agreements and initiatives developed by FAO (e.g. Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries CCRF; Plan for Combating Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fisheries IUUF, Plans for protection of Sharks, Seabirds an Marine Turtles, etc.), PERSGA LMR is striving to facilitate implementing such initiatives in PERSGA region. This is achievable through the LMR program strategy and operational plan, as it allows addressing essential requirements in this concern, such as building capacities to ensure that the bodies responsible for management are able to implement such initiatives effectively; and facilitating regional cooperation to reinforce management actions, compliance and regulations in the regionally shared water body and for trans-boundary stocks. In this framework, PERSGA is organizing this workshop, which focuses on regional cooperation in combating IUUF in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Objectives
The workshop objective is to discuss mechanisms and tools for regional cooperation and coordination in combating IUUF in PERSGA region. The workshop will also provide a platform for establishing a network for exchange of information and expertise; and enhancement of regional legislation in this regard.

Participants
Participants in this workshop will be the senior officials from national fisheries administration and coastal marine resources management departments, or related authorities The total expected number for this course is not to exceed 25 participants.

Date and Duration
The duration of the course is three working days and will be conducted during November 21st – 23rd 2011 Location To be defined later (in one of the coastal cities of PERSGA countries)

Organizers
The Regional Organization for the Conservation of the Environment of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden – PERSGA.

Language
The training language is English. Arabic will be used as an assisting medium where needed.