It is also the mandate of the FOC to discuss the application of oceanographic information to the analysis of the distribution and production patterns in the exploited stocks. [...] The needs for monitoring of the physical and biological oceanographic variables in the Atlantic Zone were recognized early by the FOC and discussions on the implementation of a monitoring program can be traced back in time up to 1994. [...] Subsequently, the Atlantic Zone Monitoring Program (AZMP) was initiated in the late 90’s (see below) and the AZMP has now the responsibility for providing the FOC with the annual environmental (both physical and biological) overviews from which are presented the reports on the state of the oceanic environment. [...] Although it was implemented only recently, it was felt that there is now a need to evaluate the relevance of the data produced by the AZMP and to encourage the use of these data products, or additional products, in the estimation of the abundance and the investigations into the causes of variation in the abundance and the productivity of the marine resources in the Atlantic Zone. [...] The workshop was co-sponsored by the FOC and the AZMP of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).