Abstract:
In 1999, the FAO Committee on Fisheries adopted an International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing
Capacity. The paper presents this new international fisheries instrument and discusses the main issues which would need to
be addressed by Nations and regional fisheries organizations worldwide to ensure its implementation. Specific attention is
given to measurement aspects, management methods, fleet reduction programmes, high seas fisheries and the need for a
comprehensive approach to factors which contribute to overcapacity and unsustainability. The paper concludes that
implementation raises important issues that need to be further addressed at national, international and global levels. It also
suggests that comprehensive research work on the management of fishing capacity is much needed, especially in relation to
the use of alternative policies instruments and management methods.
