The National Scientific and Technical Committee shall operate on the basis of consensus to:

1. Review and co-ordinate national scientific and technical activities of the SEAFDEC/UNEP/GEF Fisheries Refugia Project in [country name];


2. Review and evaluate, from a scientific and technical perspective, progress in the establishment of fisheries refugia sites, and provide guidance for improvement when necessary;


3. Provide the National Fisheries Refugia Committee with recommendations on proposed national and site-based activities, work plans, and budgets;


4. Provide the National Fisheries Refugia Committee with technical guidance and suggestions to improve project activities where necessary, including the reform of policy, legislation and institutional arrangements;


5. Facilitate co-operation with relevant national and provincial organisations and projects to enhance the information and science base for use in identifying and managing fisheries refugia in [country name];


6. Compile and evaluate national level sources of information and data for sharing at the regional level;


7. Receive, and review reports, data and information from the fisheries refugia sites and oversee the national synthesis of this information to identify overall needs and priorities for individual sites and networks of refugia sites in [country name];


8. Ensure that planned national level project activities are consistent with the national results framework for the project, and that the subsequent monitoring and reporting of project results is undertaken in a standardized and consistent manner;


9. Agree at their first meeting:

a. the membership, meeting arrangements, and terms of reference of the committee; and

b. such standing orders and manner of conducting business as may be considered necessary by the committee.