Conclusions of the 25th session of the Committee included: the need for a strategy to improve information on capture fisheries; reaffirmation of the need for global implementation of measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; the importance of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its related International Plans of Action (IPOAs) in promoting long-term sustainable development of fisheries; and identification of key priority work areas for 2004-05.

The Committee agreed to establish a Sub-Committee on Aquaculture and adopted the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IPOA-IUU) Fishing. It agreed that future reporting on the implementation of the Code of Conduct and related IPOAs should be based on in-depth analysis of problems associated with their efficient implementation, using case studies.

The main issues discussed during the meeting were the scale of contribution to an autonomous budget, the conclusion and recommendations resulting from the second session of the Aquaculture Committee and the third session of the Scientific Advisory Committee.

This publication contains the report of the Working Group's second session, held in Thailand in November 2003, which included 19 experts from 15 countries covering a range of disciplines related to small-scale fisheries. Issues discussed included a research agenda based on five main themes including policy and institutional arrangements; and the importance of small-scale fisheries to national economies, food security and poverty reduction.

The meeting reviewed the decisions of the Twenty-fifth Session of the Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of relevance to regional fishery bodies and FAO Fisheries Circular No. 985 containing summary information about RFBs.

This publication contains the report of the workshop, held in Fiji in October 2003. Issues discussed include: the 1995 FAO Code and its framework, legal considerations and issues; responsible fisheries management and post-harvest practices; aquaculture and inland fisheries; and the integration of fisheries into coastal area management.