This report, published by Defra in Autumn 2007, aims to:

• explain the changes in fisheries and fisheries management over the past thirty years and what Defra is are now trying to achieve;
• set out the balance it will strike between economic, social and environmental priorities;
• clarify, through nine vision statements, what Defra thinks is needed to deliver sustainability;
• identify the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in achieving sustainability;
• summarise the economic, social and environmental benefits and costs of delivering the vision.

You can read the document here.

Added: 19.7.07

Published by the International Food Research Policy Institute and the World Fish Centre this book projects the likely changes in the fisheries sector over the next two decades. As prices for most food commodities fall, fish prices are expected to rise, reflecting demand for fish that outpaces the ability of the world to supply it. The model shows that developing countries will consume and produce a much greater share of the world’s fish in the future, and trade in fisheries commodities will also increase. The authors show the causes and implications of these and other changes, and argue for specific actions and policies that can improve outcomes for the poor and for the environment.

The book (226 pages) can be downloaded here. Alternatively see here for a 36 page briefing paper on the issue or here for a 6 page summary.

Published by Sustain, this report outlines the health pros and cons of eating fish. It summarises the environmental damage caused by both industrial fishing and fish farming, and argues that there are serious contradictions in government fish policy at both UK and EU level.

To see the full selection of Sustain publications visit the Sustain website.

Tyedmers, P. (2004) Fisheries and Energy Use, Cleveland, C. (ed.) Encyclopedia of Energy. Academic Press/Elsevier Science. Vol.2.

Tyedmers, P. (2001) Energy Consumed by North Atlantic Fisheries, in Zeller, D., R. Watson, and D. Pauly (eds.), Fisheries Impacts on North Atlantic Ecosystems: Catch, effort and national/regional datasets, Fisheries Centre Research Reports 9(3), 12-34

The overall goal of this report is to enable decision-makers, fisheries managers and other practitioners, to harness the potential of the EFF for inshore waters. The report begins by placing the unique qualities and role of inshore waters and their fisheries in the context of the EU, then addresses the challenges facing the emerging EFF for promoting the sustainable development of the inshore sector. Opportunities arising from the proposed EFF are defined in relation to past aid with FIFG, which, it is argued, is failing to counteract the special pressures on inshore waters or cater positively for their special attributes. Specific funding needs of the inshore sector are identified and measured against the capacity of the EFF to deliver for them. Overall, the analysis is intended to help shape the EFF proposal. It should also assist Member States and regional managers to maximise the opportunities for inshore waters afforded by the EFF once it is adopted, given that they will have considerable latitude in how they deploy the available funds.

The report commissioned by IEEP for Invest in Fish South West reviews fisheries management options within the current international, EU and UK legislation.

The purpose of this report is to set out some critical issues for the EC fisheries sector from an environmental perspective, and to contribute ideas to the development of alternative policies and management approaches. Chapter 2 provides an analysis of relevant environmental issues and policies, followed in Chapter 3 by an outline of the European fisheries sector. The main structure and workings of the Common Fisheries Policy are detailed and analysed from an environmental perspective in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 looks at the impending review of the fish stock conservation and management policy in the run up to the year 2002 and discusses some options for realigning European fisheries policy towards the goal of sustainable development.

This report constitutes deliverable number 4 of the INDECO project. The aim of the report is to identify the policy objectives for which indicators are needed as a tool to measure effectiveness. INDECO is a Sixth Research Framework Programme on the 'Development of Indicators of Environmental Performance of the Common Fisheries Policy'.

INDECO: Indicators - An Overview Internal Paper for Discussion.
Published: Apr 01, 2005 – Authors: James Brown , Dirk Reyntjens

This note was prepared as a follow-up on the INDECO kick-off meeting on 15.12.2004. It is not intended to be an exhaustive literature review. Rather its function is to assist in forging an agreement on terminology and definitions; conceptual frameworks; and criteria for indicator selection.

Research is being undertaken in partnership with Dalhousie University and the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology. Also, only the first phase focused on the Northeast Pacific. Several publications from this phase are in prep, review or press. The current phase extends the analysis to encompass farmed salmon production in Europe and Chile as well. All findings will be publicly available.