The Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) was established in 1969 by a number of UN organisations to encourage independent and interdisciplinary discussion of marine pollution and environmental protection issues. This publication contains the proceedings of its 33rd session, held in Rome in May 2003.

Chemicals used within the aquaculture industry are identified and for each chemical a brief summary is provided on the intended purpose, the scale of its application, the aquacultural sectors and geographic locations of its principal use and its potential impact on the environment and human health. Environmental issues arising from the properties of aquacultural chemicals are discussed. The use of most chemicals in aquaculture, if carried out properly, can be regarded as wholly beneficial with no attendant adverse environmental effects or increased risks to the health of aquacultural workers. Concerns appear warranted, however, regarding the overuse and misuse of certain chemicals for which proper risk assessments with respect to the marine environment have not been conducted. A further legitimate concern and a barrier to the conduct of an exhaustive review of chemical use practices is the unavailability of quantitative data on contemporary chemical use in the aquaculture industry. The viability of contemporary aquaculture is contingent on the use of chemicals. Accordingly, with the overriding consideration should be minimizing the quantities of chemicals applied, most current uses of chemicals are essential. This study, recognizing that chemotherapeutants and pesticides in current use are of verying effectiveness and hazard, provides recommendations to promote the safe and effective use of chemicals in coastal aquaculture. Government authorities, the scientific community and the aquacultural and pharmaceutical industries all have an important to play in ensuring that chemical use is consistent with protection of environmental quality and human health.

This report is based on a review of literature and experience relating to the planning and management of aquaculture development and its integration into coastal area management. It explores in detail how more planned and integrated approaches can be applied to aquaculture development. These approaches range from "enhanced sectorial" initiatives, to incorporation within comprehensive ICM programmes.

This workshop stressed that the concept of reference points (RPs) needs to be closely connected to the management objective of concerned fisheries, taking into account various parameters such as maximum sustainable yield, economic and social benchmark and environment concern. Participants stressed the need to define different RPs for each dimension of management or to identify a single RP aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the system, thereby no longer limited to biological aspects. A review of possible approaches to setting RPs and indicators for Black Sea fisheries emphasized the dynamic nature of recent ecosystem changes. The traffic light approach was illustrated as a means of following dynamic changes and gaining a broad perspective on events at the ecosystem level. The workshop outlined the main RPs obtained by applying the bio-economic optimization models of effort and effort-catch as derived from the theory of population dynamics.

This publication gives an updated review of the quantity of discards in the world's marine fisheries, using information from a broad range of fisheries in all continents. A number of policy issues are discussed including a 'no discards' approach to fisheries management, the need for balance between bycatch reduction and bycatch utilisation initiatives, and concerns arising from incidental catches of marine mammals, birds and reptiles. The report also highlights the need for more robust methods of estimating discards, and the development of bycatch management plans.