 The Expert Advisory Panel is a formal meeting at FAO that brings together experts in fisheries, experts in trade, but also experts in the species that have been proposed for society's listing. These experts examine the information provided by the proposals to see if the species meets or doesn't meet the criteria. It's important to bring the experts together because they have a long-term, on-ground and on-water experience of the data that's used in the arguments made of whether a species meets or doesn't meet the criteria. One of the joys and one of the challenges of being chair of the panel is the diversity of people and all of the expertise ranges that we have in the room. As we look at how to assess the criteria for each of the species, it's wonderful that we have the mix of trade experts, of biological experts, of population dynamic experts that come from countries all over the world. It's always good to have experts in fisheries and trade and the species together. And in the conversations that are had around whether a species meets or doesn't meet the criteria, the inside knowledge of those data sets, alongside having the CITES Secretariat in the room, allows a very informed discussion which will help the CITES parties. It says that by virtue of a cautionary approach and in cases of uncertainty regarding the status of the species or the impact of trade on the conservation of the species, the party shall act in the event that the taxidermy convention provides that the CITES Secretariat should consult with intergovernmental bodies who have a role in the management of marine species. And really FAO is a priority consultee in this process. FAO established this expert panel to review each of the amendment proposals. There are six related to commercially exploited aquatic species at the upcoming meeting and they will send the panel report to the CITES Secretariat and then we will make that available to the CITES parties for their consideration at the conference of the party's meeting. Our job as a secretariat is to ensure that our parties have the best and most up-to-date information in order to make a sound decision and we're confident that this FAO panel will provide excellent information. When examining data, these experts understand the difference of both the temporal, the spatial and the methodologies used in collecting the information that informs if a species is highly vulnerable or not vulnerable from the effects of fishing. The upcoming CITES COP in Panama in November has important implications for sustainable fisheries worldwide. And FAO hopes that the FAO panel report is well read by the CITES parties so it can help inform their decision making of whether species meets or don't meet the CITES criteria.