Three major topics were considered. The first concerned the future role of the CWP following its reconstitution and the adoption of new statutes and rules of procedure. The second major topic concerned international initiatives of relevance to the CWP. The third major topic concerned the improvement of the reliability of fishery statistics, including consideration of the consequences and extent of the problem of non-reporting and mis-reporting. Other topics considered included a review of recommendations from the Fifteenth Session of CWP; modifications to programmes in relation to fishery statistics; exchange of national fishery statistics on electronic media; modifications to STATLANT questionnaires; discrepencies among agency databases; bycatch and discard data; recreational and subsistence fishery statistics; fleet statistics; aquaculture statistics; conversion factors; country and nationality issues, and economic statistics.

This book examines legal, economic and environmental developments including recent state and international practice.

The Meeting of FAO and non-FAO Regional Fishery Bodies or Arrangements discussed three main items: major issues affecting the performance of regional fishery bodies (RFB); a multifaceted approach to fishery status and trends reporting; and regional fishery bodies as vehicles for good fishery governance. The meeting reached a number of conclusions regarding matters meriting the attention of RFBs, governments and FAO. It stressed the importance of the precautionary approach for fisheries management and governance and of involving all stakeholders in developing management measures, and urged to continue to adapt their mandates, structures and policies in order to respond better to the challenges facing world fisheries. It expressed its concern over the problems arising from over-capacity in fisheries and the lack of sufficient progress in improving the monitoring and enforcement of management measures. The participants expressed their appreciation at the opportunity afforded by the meeting to share experiences and view upon often common problems and recommended that further such meetings should be held regularly, with FAO as focal point, preferably prior to future sessions of the FAO Committee on Fisheries.--Publisher's description.