Report of the Fisheries Technology Committee (FTC)

Following ConC suggestions the FTC committee meeting was organized slightly differently thanin 2005:

• The first four-and-a-half hour session was held on 20 September, at a time with noscheduled scientific theme sessions, letting the ASC participants free to “discover”science committee activities. 22 participants attended the whole session;

• A second four-hour session was held on 21 September. Less participants were presentat this session (variable number, from 12 to 17).

The first session was devoted to scientific discussions on the theme of biodiversity and on the restructuring process of ICES. The second session was more specifically focused on the FTC activities during the year and on EG reports.
The higher presence of participants during the first session demonstrated the interest of such an agenda, with no theme sessions scheduled during the SC meeting. Nevertheless, with one exception, no new participants were present. Efforts in communication are still necessary to make the SC meetings attractive to non-members. The suggestion to open a discussion on the theme of
the opening lecture seemed extremely fruitful and could be a good way to attract newcomers. It was felt that this opening lecture should be announced to attract newcomers to at least part of the SC meetings.