The first Expert Consultation, Spatial Distribution of Demersal Resources in the Straits of Sicily and the Influence of Environmental Factors and Fishery Characteristics, was held in Malta from 10 to 12 December 2002. All four MedSudMed countries (Tunisia, Malta, Libya, Italy) were represented, as well as colleagues from the Copemed Project and one external expert from the University of Plymouth. As agreed during the Coordination Committee meeting, the objective of the Expert Consultation was to provide an overview of available knowledge on the issue, draw up a programme for the activities to be implemented on the basis of common methodology, propose pilot study cases and identify needs in national and regional expertise. The technical contributions regarded four main themes: fishery biology, physical environment, biocenoses, and tools and data management. A synthesis was made by working groups who provided a summary of the available knowledge and data, a listing of the gaps and recommendations to fill these gaps. Discussions were conducted towards an agreement on an indicative work plan. The adoption of common methods and terminology was considered of utmost importance. The standardization of available data and sampling design also appeared as a priority.