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ISSF Contributes to New FAO e-Learning Series on Management Procedures in Global Fisheries

Through a new e-learning offering from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fisheries managers worldwide can gain technical training and capacity-building skills for adopting effective management procedures (MPs).

ISSF Senior Scientist Dr. Hilario Murua co-authored content for the five-course series, which launches February 11 via a webinar with fisheries specialists, policymakers, and experts from Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) and NGOs, who will share global examples, results, and insights on MPs.

Also called “harvest strategies,” MPs are pre-agreed frameworks for recommending or making fisheries management decisions — such as setting catch limits — to achieve specific management objectives. When based on the best available scientific data and well implemented, MPs can inform fishery decision-making and foster greater transparency and accountability.

FAO offers the new series “on demand” at no cost through its elearning Academy.

Fishery Manager Resources for Tuna Sustainability

The “Management Procedures for Sustainable Tuna Fisheries” series includes five approximately one-hour-long, self-paced courses. Each course contains exercises and a test, and participants receive resource recommendations and completion certificates.

Completing the courses in sequence is recommended, although participants can also access individual courses:

  1. Introduction: Focuses on tuna fisheries, but is applicable to other types, and examines MP elements like harvest control rules
  2. Setting a vision: Addresses how to establish long-term objectives as well as quantify and assess progress
  3. Management strategy evaluation (MSE): Outlines why MSE is critical to MPs, and explains the value of MSE modeling and simulations
  4. Training adventure: Builds participant skills for developing and applying effective MPs for sustainable fisheries
  5. Lessons learned: Emphasizes the iterative quality of MPs and shares tools for adoption and review

FAO Common Oceans Tuna Project developed the e-learning series with support from The Ocean Foundation, The Pew Charitable Trusts and ISSF. Explore the series along with other FAO e-learning programs at elearning.fao.org.