This manual deals with the practical implementation of a routine data collection programme. The data collection programme is developed through a top-down approach, from the identification of the objectives down to the practical recording and management of data obtained from the fishery. The issues are dealth with both through detailed discussion and by using simple examples. The examples are mostly based on situations in tropical fisheries, and in particular, experience has been drawn from developing a data collection programme in Viet Nam. The main questions addressed i n the manual are which fisheries data to collect, where and when to collect them. Only data from commercial marine capture fisheries are considered. The methodologies used are mainly appropriate for a tropical, developing county, with many small (artisanal) vessels and a few large (industrial) vessels. The methodology is the "sample-based approach". The data collection methodology presented attempts to utilize whatever information can be obtained in practice in a developing country.

The increasing shift towards co-management has prompted managers to reflect upon their new roles and reconsider information requirements. This technical paper, in two parts, is aimed to meet the growing need among co-managers for guidelines to help design and implement appropriate and cost-effective data collection programmes or systems. Part 1: Practical guide has been written specifically for co-managers and facilitators working in the field and offers simple and practical advice on helping stakeholders identify their information needs in relation to their management objectives and responsibilities, and developing collaborative ways of collecting and sharing the information in the most effective way. (Part 2 is ISBN 92-5-105410-X)

These guidelines illustrate recommendations for good practices on data collection in Eastern European inland fisheries, and in particular the Western Balkan region, based on the methodologies and approaches used in countries throughout Europe and from FAO experience of inland fisheries in other regions. They provide guidance on the options available to inland fishery managers based on particular circumstances i.e. commercial fishing or recreational use, and they are especially relevant for assisting the economies-in transition in Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. These guidelines are not an overarching work on inland fisheries management, nor do they provide advice on the environmental aspects or competing uses of inland water bodies. They focus on issues of data collection to support fishery managers whether they be government agencies, fishers or angler associations co-responsible for the management of inland resources in European rivers and lakes.

"These guidelines aim to help those who design routine data collection programmes, focusing on the relationship between typical questions asked by policy-makers and managers, and the data required for providing reliable answers. Fisheries policy and management objectives, particularly under the precautionary approach, need to be based upon analyses of reliable data. Data are needed to make rational decisions, evaluate the fisheries performance in relation to management activities and fulfil regional requirements. These objectives are achieved using fishery performance indicators. Indicators are used to measure the state of the resource, the performance of fishing controls, economic efficiency, socio-economic performance and social continuity. The primary factor in choosing what data to collect is the link between the necessary operational, biological, economic and socio-cultural indicators and their associated variables. The way in which different data variables are collected needs tobe tailored to the structure of the fishery. The strategy will be strongly influenced by the budget and personnel available, and the degree to which fishers and others co-operate. The programme must identify which variables should be collected through complete enumeration and which can be sampled. Collection methods are influenced by the variable itself, the strategy, collection point and the skill of the enumerator. Once collected, fishery data must be stored securely, but made easily available for analysis, which is achieved through a computer-based data management system, following the basic data processing principles. The implementation of a data collection programme should follow a normal project cycle, developing a new legal and institutional framework as appropriate"--Abstract.

Some species and stocks of sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras (termed shark in this review) are rapidly depleting due to climate change, land-based influences, and overfishing. These pressures, coupled with sharks’ low reproductive potential (slow growth and delayed maturation; long reproductive cycles; low fecundity; and long lifespans) place sharks in a risk profile that is more akin to mammals on land than fish in the ocean. The development of policy, and the delivery of management and conservation measures regulating the use, international trade, and capture of sharks (whether as a targeted species or as bycatch in fisheries), is hindered by gaps in basic knowledge – a knowledge that is required in order to get a clear sense of their status in real-time. Many countries are establishing or strengthening monitoring across shark value chains to overcome these shortfalls in information. This document reviews what shark fisheries data is being collected, highlighting the opportunities and constraints in collecting information on sharks in fisheries, based on practical experience. It includes information from 28 surveys across 19 countries: 9 in the Mediterranean, 5 in Africa, 3 in Asia, and 1 in Oceania. Interviews were conducted with data collectors and managers across the entirety of the survey process, while data collection variables were documented in order to inform those interested in the collection, provision, and exchange of shark information on common practices and their commonalities. The review identifies standardized information metrics which, if collected more generally, would strengthen the opportunity for harmonized reporting and cross-comparability across surveys. In addition – and in order to assess the status quo – the current data collection requirements of management measures applied to sharks by regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) were reviewed, including “no retention” measures. Finally, the review proposes a list of the minimum standard measurements and common life-history parameters required to support the assessment of shark stocks in fisheries.

Discards – the part of the catch that is not retained on board, which may include target species or any other (commercial and non-commercial) species that are returned at sea dead or alive – usually result in a reduction of harvesting opportunities and may have negative consequences on the stocks, ecosystems and the marine environment. In the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, studies on discards only cover a small portion of the total fishing activities and discard rates are often poorly estimated or totally unknown. Information is lacking for many types of fishing gear, countries and GFCM subregions, and most available studies only cover relatively short periods and small areas. Discards therefore represent a major source of uncertainty about the actual fishing mortality rates of stocks. These knowledge gaps highlight the need to expand discard monitoring programmes and standardize practices, so to assess discards appropriately and address their important impacts. This publication and the methodology discussed herein aim to provide a framework for the development and implementation of an efficient, standardized data collection and monitoring system for discards through on-board observations, questionnaires at landing sites and self-sampling activities. It ensures minimum common standards for the collection of discards data and allows for repeatability and comparisons among fisheries across the region, thus offering a harmonized basis of knowledge, information and evidence for decision-making.