A Concerted Action project funded by the 5th Framework programme of the European Commission. The EDFAM project has 4 principal objectives:
To review sampling and assessment programmes currently in place in Europe,
To collate and make available in a number of formats the results of monitoring and research programmes in Europe,
By taking into account world wide developments in decapod research to recommend new approaches to the sampling and assessment of these resources,
To review and explore new structures and processes for the management of crustacean resources.
The project was initiated in response to the lack of co-ordinated monitoring and research programmes, the absence of formal stock assessments in many cases and the increasing economic importance of these species in Europe. Approximately 27 species of crustacean are fished in European waters. In some countries crustaceans are now the most important commercial species. Stocks are in some cases stable or even increasing although in a greater number of cases significant depletion has already occurred and a number of stocks have collapsed. Many species are fished by artisanal fleets and are very important socio-economically.
