Hosting, maintenance and further development of the regional database for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (RDBFIS-II)

Regional databases (RDBs) are recognized under the 2017 Data Collection Framework (DCF) Regulation as essential tools for coordinating regional fisheries data management. RDBs consolidate fisheries data at a low aggregation level, centralizing storage and reducing the administrative burden on Member States by minimizing multiple data submissions in different formats. They also enable end users to generate customized statistical estimates and streamline reporting obligations related to fisheries data collection. In the Mediterranean and Black Sea (Med&BS) region, DCF data are distributed across multiple databases, primarily managed by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). However, the lack of compatibility among these databases complicates regional data management. The knowledge gained from RDBFIS II is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the next phase of RDBFIS development (RDBFIS III), ensuring that the regional database continues to meet the evolving needs of Med&BS fisheries data collection and analysis.