The 30th Session of the Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission (APFIC) concluded that cooperation and collaboration among fishery bodies in the region have intensified and that this positive trend should be continued. The Commission recommended that APFIC should continue its role as a regional consultative forum to evaluate progress, monitor and advise member countries on fisheries and aquaculture in the region. Furthermore, APFIC should promote sub-regional management initiatives and facilitate coordination between regional organizations related to fisheries and aquaculture.
To further facilitate the coordination and information exchange work of the forum, the APFIC Secretariat maintains a comprehensive fishery website (
www.apfic.org) linking members to other organizations and projects that have an impact on fisheries and aquaculture in the region and is updated regularly and upon request. As an output of this activity, the APFIC Secretariat has now published a second version of the APFIC handbook on regional and sub-regional fishery bodies and arrangements for the benefit of the APFIC Members.
This handbook provides a convenient summary of those bodies and arrangements concerned with sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development relevant to FAO members in the region. Some of the members of these bodies and arrangements are also member of the FAO. This handbook is intended to serve as a useful tool for interested readers as part of the role of APFIC as a regional forum. Indeed, with substantive contributions and inputs from its members, numerous development and technical partners such as regional fishery organizations, NGOs and other segments of civil society, the Commission offers a unique forum for an Asia-Pacific regional perspective on the outlook and policy implications of fisheries and aquaculture in the years to come.