The fisheries forecasting system currently employed in Japan has been reviewed from both a technical and administrative point of view. The methodology/technology, data/information and data processing employed, the result and benefits derived have been discussed and appraised in some detail. The system contribution to the total Japanese fisheries production and the socio-economic benefits to the nation have also been discussed. The linkage between forecasting and the fisheries management scheme employed in Japan has been examined. Finally, a review of general requirements for and guidelines on, the establishment of a fisheries forecasting system in other countries have been given.

The management of multispecies fisheries employed in Japan has been reviewed from both a global and a region/subject-specific point of view. The discussion focuses on five major principles involved in the management of multispecies resources and multi-gear fisheries in the coastal waters around Japan, with examples from past experience. The topics discussed include) the legal and political arrangements for the management and coordination of the fisheries, including the autonomous regulatory system established by the fishermen themselves, 2) the "successional fishing" employed in two small fishing communities. 3) the demersal fish fisheries along the entire coast of Japan, 4) the coastal pelagic fish fisheries with special reference to large changes in stock abundance and species composition and 5) the comprehensive utilization of resources in the Seto Inland Sea. The last topic presents a clear example of a practical application of the comprehensive management measures being applied to a limited sea area where complicated multispecies resources are exploited. In particular, the discussion considers how to cope with changes in the resources brought about by either natural or man-made causes, including the successes and failures of past management. An overall discussion of findings focuses specifically on a few critical problems that must be taken into account when the management of multispecies resources and multi-gear fisheries is planned and/or implemented. Finally, guidelines for such management are set down to facilitate the assessment of such a system in the countries where similar management issues have not yet been experienced.

Spiny lobsters are among the world's most valuable and highly prized seafoods, captured and marketed in over 90 countries. Demand for spiny lobsters has escalated in the past two decades, spurring the need both for better management and for research on which to base that management. Spiny lobster aquaculture, however, now appears to be a real possibility, some countries have already approved the legislation, and it may be only a few years before this becomes the major source. The book opens with a brief review of the general biology, distribution, fishing techniques etc. but the major emphasis is on the latest management strategies, developments in aquaculture, marketing and economics. A special feature of the book will be detailed reviews of the spiny lobster fishery, research activities and marketing process in Japan, where customers are willing to pay more than US$50 per pound for live lobsters.

Fish resources in the region, including finfish, cephalopods, prawns and shrimps have been reviewed in conjunction with the historical change in the fisheries on them.

Proper designation of Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) is a highly important spatial measure in any management of fishery resources. EFH is defined as those waters and substrates necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity, a definition that includes the physical, chemical and biological properties of marine areas and the associated sediment and biological assemblages that sustain fish populations throughout their full life cycle. This book presents latest advances in EFH mapping and modelling and introduces the environmental approach to EFH identification through the combined use of latest technologies and advanced techniques, such as Remote Sensing, Geographic Information Systems and Spatial Statistics. The contents of this book include overviews and comparisons of different approaches on species habitat modelling, methods to identify teleconnection patterns between large-scale meteo-oceanic phenomena and local environmental variation, and EFH maps for cephalopod, shrimp, hake, anchovy, sardine, and swordfish resources in the Mediterranean. The aims of this book are to provide accumulated knowledge on marine species essential habitat mapping and to be a source for further developments in the important topic of marine resource management.