Interim Report of the Working Group on Application of Genetics in Fisheries and Mariculture (WGAGFM)

The Working Group on Application of Genetics in Fisheries and Mariculture (WGAGFM) convened at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC), Ispra, Italy, 6–8 May 2015. Sixteen delegates from ten nations, discussed three Terms of Reference (ToR), and associated matters. In particular, there was general discussion on the potential to enhance WGAGFM contributions to ICES within the context of the ICES Science Plan Performance Evaluation (February 2015). Notewor-thy WGAGFM proposals included promotion of multi-disciplinary approaches for achieving sustainability and resilience, enhanced integration of genetics in fisheries conservation and management, and prioritising regular assessment and monitoring of marine biodiversity. Interactions with staff from the Maritime Affairs Unit Fisher-ies and Aquaculture Sector of the JRC, including a seminar on the Integration of Ge-netics into Stock Assessment (E. Jardim, JRC) provided additional opportunities for inputs and discussion