The two and a half day Advisory Roundtable was convened to contribute to FAO’s response to the request by the 32nd Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI), to advise FAO on its approach to developing a more comprehensive report on methods and data and analytical approach, which could be used to provide a credible, objective and replicable assessment of inland fisheries; and ii) provide guidance on tools that could be provided to member states seeking advice with respect to assessing the status of their inland fisheries (yield/production, threats & drivers), predicting future impacts and how to quantify the effect of mitigation/adaptation measures on fisheries. The roundtable reviewed and discussed the background that had led up to the meeting to scrutinize the purpose of an assessment and the scope of coverage and how this could be used to determine the status of inland fisheries. It further developed the criteria to conduct such an assessment, and then attempted to apply the approach to a number of basins. This practical exercise was based on concrete examples from countries or basins with which the experts were familiar. It was concluded by the roundtable, that the use of a dual index approach is the right way to go, and that it can be used to assess fisheries both at the national, basin, regional and global levels although different levels of resolution will be required and may thus have somewhat different data requirements. Adding a valuation element will direct investment towards the fisheries that provides most benefit to society in the context of the priorities set at the national level. At the national level, data may include yields, catches, threats, and measures that can be used to estimate future adaptive capacity. For global level analysis an index approach will be necessary relying on “big” data. Any information system should be useful to serve, first and foremost, the countries that collect/analyse and provide the data. Reports to FAO that could be compiled into a global picture of the state of inland fisheries would be a value added product of this process. The national reports would also have utility in reporting on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals/Aichi Targets.

The Second Advisory Roundtable on the Assessment of Inland Fisheries was convened in partnership with United States Geological Service (USGS), from 25 to 27 November 2019. It reviewed the progress of work that had been initiated as a response to the recommendations of the “Advisory Roundtable on the Assessment of Inland Fisheries” that was convened in partnership with the United States Geological Service (USGS) and Michigan State University (MSU) in FAO Rome, from 8 to 10 May 2018. The Second Roundtable covered two aspects of the assessment of inland fisheries. As its first task, the Roundtable reviewed a threat mapping framework developed by USGS and the University of Florida, which seeks to provide a robust assessment method for inland fisheries and the associated ecosystems/basins upon which they depend. This is intended to support the management of aquatic systems and the continued delivery of ecosystem services. The status map that the analysis provides is a visual (and quantifiable) relative indication of the levels of anthropogenic and natural environmental pressures to inland fisheries at the basin or sub-basin level. Five major threats to inland fisheries (and their 21 sub-threat categories) were scored according to global studies and modeling.

Assessment of data-limited fish stocks is a rapidly evolving topic in marine fisheries, and is supported by an increasing focus on the socio-economic and ecological importance of small-scale fisheries. The challenges in such systems can be compounded in inland fisheries, which are often complex, spatially dispersed and difficult to monitor. This publication reviews the application of empirical indicators and simple size-based models usually used in marine fisheries, but also applicable in inland systems. It presents case study applications for important fisheries in the Amazon River (Brazil), Tonlé Sap River (Cambodia), Paraná River (Argentina) and Lago Bayano (Panama). These studies consider issues including spatial separation of life-history stages, strong modality in population size structure, and fishing gear selectivity. Local scientific experts interpreted trends in stock state. Empirical indicators showed strong decline in size structure and relative abundance for one of the four assessed Tonlé Sap stocks. The length-based spawning potential ratio model suggested that two of the three assessed Amazon Goliath catfish stocks, and the sábalo stock in the Paraná River, were below sustainable spawning potential ratio reference points. The Lago Bayano tilapia stock appeared healthy. The review concludes that data-limited assessment methods developed for marine stocks may provide guidance for the sustainable management of important target species in inland fisheries. The methods tested are probably less applicable in non-selective fisheries where small species are preferred, or in river fisheries with extreme dependence on flood pulses. Important considerations are species life history and spatial distribution, environmental variability, and fishery sampling strategy.

The 2020 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture has a particular focus on sustainability. This reflects a number of specific considerations. First, 2020 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (the Code). Second, several Sustainable Development Goal indicators mature in 2020. Third, FAO hosted the International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in late 2019, and fourth, 2020 sees the finalization of specific FAO guidelines on sustainable aquaculture growth, and on social sustainability along value chains. While Part 1 retains the format of previous editions, the structure of the rest of the publication has been revised. Part 2 opens with a special section marking the twenty fifth anniversary of the Code. It also focuses on issues coming to the fore, in particular, those related to Sustainable Development Goal 14 and its indicators for which FAO is the “custodian” agency. In addition, Part 2 covers various aspects of fisheries and aquaculture sustainability. The topics discussed range widely, from data and information systems to ocean pollution, product legality, user rights and climate change adaptation. Part 3 now forms the final part of the publication, covering projections and emerging issues such as new technologies and aquaculture biosecurity. It concludes by outlining steps towards a new vision for capture fisheries. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture aims to provide objective, reliable and up-to-date information to a wide audience – policymakers, managers, scientists, stakeholders and indeed everyone interested in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition.