In October 2005, SPC's Oceanic Fisheries Programme, in collaboration with the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), started a five-year endeavor called the Pacific Islands Oceanic Fisheries Management Project (OFM project). The OFM project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the Scientific Assessment and Monitoring Enhancement Component of the project (including ecosystem analysis) is implemented by SPC. One of the objectives of the OFM project is to obtain an enhanced understanding of the ecology of seamounts, in particular their influence on the aggregation and movement of pelagic fish species, and also the impact of fisheries on seamount ecosystems. To organise this specific activity, a seamount research planning workshop, gathering 14 seamount and benthic and pelagic fisheries experts, took place at SPC headquarters in Noumea on 20 and 21 March 2006.
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