The MIRIA meeting provides an opportunity to explore common challenges and address issues of concern. The main focus of the discussions was on quality assurance of advice with renewed efforts to improve the quality assurance post-pandemic through refocusing training and priorities across the network and Secretariat.
Meeting participants also discussed the next steps for evaluating fisheries management plans, vulnerable marine ecosystems, and monitoring and evaluating bycatch of protected and threatened species.
Advice requesters welcomed and gave input to the draft version of ICES new stakeholder engagement strategy, which is expected to be approved by ICES Council at their October meeting.
Continued dialogue
Áslaug Eir Hólmgeirsdóttir, Director General of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Iceland emphasized the importance of the meeting.
“It was good to finally meet everyone in person. The Government of Iceland has had a Memorandum of Understanding with ICES since the end of 2019, and so far we have only been able to attend meetings online. It is important for us advice requesters to have a continued dialogue with ICES and stay informed about the advisory process."
Learn more about ICES advisory process.
