Bonn, 26 February 2019 - The current ASCOBANS Bycatch Working Group will be replaced by ACCOBAMS/ASCOBANS Joint Bycatch Working Group (JBWG), created according to decision of and endorsement from the 24^th Meeting of the ASCOBANS Advisory Committee and the 12^th Meeting of the ACCOBAMS Scientific Council last year. The Working Group will be run by two Co-chairs, Dr. Ayaka Amaha Oztürk and Dr. Peter Evans, each with bycatch expertise from ACCOBAMS or ASCOBANS areas.

The JBWG will address mandates of relevant Resolutions, including those still to be passed.With respect to the areas and species covered by the Agreements, the Working Group tasks include providing updates on bycatch mitigation measures and their effectiveness; reviewing information on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing; providing technical support as required to facilitate dialogue with relevant bodies that have certification schemes. More detailed tasks can be found in the group’s Terms of Reference.

The Working Group will present reports on progress on these mandates and collaborate with new information relevant to each meeting of the ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee and ASCOBANS Advisory Committee. In providing its advice, the Working Group will aim to cooperate with other relevant bodies and fora, such as the ICES Working Group on Bycatch of Protected Species, the IWC Bycatch Initiative, HELCOM, OSPAR, NAMMCO, Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, NGOs active in the field, and many more.

The Secretariat looks forward to facilitating and supporting the work of the Joint Bycatch Working Group!