3 May 2013, Rome - In a major breakthrough, researchers at the University of Arizona have identified the causative agent behind a mysterious disease that has been decimating shrimp farms in Asia.

A recent study highlighted the benefits of implementing the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. Focusing on five ecological indicators to quantify the ecosystem effects of fishing, the analysis found that compliance with the Code increases the sustainability of fisheries regardless of the region. It also warns of the negative ecological effects when such international instruments are not honoured.

The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its related International Plans of Action and Strategies are voluntary instruments widely recognized by governments and NGOs as the global standard for the sustainable development and management of fisheries and aquaculture, and as a basis for reviewing and adopting national fisheries legislation. Since its adoption in 1995, the Code has served as the key pillar of FAO’s mandate and mission for fisheries and aquaculture.

The independent scientific study, published in the journal “Global Environmental Change”, also includes a minimum compliance threshold above which the Code of Conduct would be effective in increasing the ecological sustainability of exploited aquatic ecosystems. These positive results underpin the importance of the work of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department in assisting developing countries to adopt responsible fisheries and aquaculture practices in line with the Code.

Development of community-based milkfish farming in Tonga will be given a boost through a project under the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme.

The FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department has just launched the Aquaculture Feed and Fertilizer Resources Information System (AFFRIS).

AFFRIS provides information on globally important aquaculture feed, feed ingredients, fertilizers and nutrient resources. Associated guidelines describe how to use this information in order to optimize on-farm feeding and feed management strategies, including nutritional profiles of commercially-important selected aquaculture species.

AFFRIS includes:
. Aquaculture feed resource database to include the nutrient composition, amino acid and fatty acid profile and mineral contents of globally important feed and feed ingredients; and information on toxicity and ant-nutritional factors inhibiting their use
. Aquaculture species profile including their nutritional requirements, food and feeding habits, feed formulation and production, common husbandry practices and their nutritional deficiency signs and syndromes
. Frequently Asked Questions about the feed and nutrition of commercially-important aquaculture species
. Images of aquaculture species with special reference to nutrition, feeding and feed management
. Related publications
. Useful links of aquaculture and feed related organizations, networks and similar information systems


The rich variety of information contained in AFFRIS can help countries maximize their use of locally available feed and fertilizer resources, thus reducing their dependence upon imported fertilizers, feed ingredient sources and ready-made compound aquafeeds.

For further information: Mohammad Hasan

30 May 2013, Rome - Surges in jellyfish populations may be one reason for a drop in fish stocks observed in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, according to a new report published by FAO.

May 2013, Rome – A series of ambitious and innovative steps have been taken this month by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the FAO on the occasion of its thirty-seventh annual session, held in Split, Croatia.

Confirming its leading role in the promotion of the management, conservation and sustainable use of living marine resources in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, the GFCM has just approved a number of historic conservation and management measures to guarantee the sustainable exploitation of key fish stocks. For the first time in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, a multi-annual sub-regional management plan for a shared fishery has been adopted. This plan addresses the management of small pelagic species, namely sardine and anchovy, in the Adriatic Sea, with a view to minimizing the threat of overfishing and stock decline and encouraging the sustainable exploitation of these important target species while maintaining stable yields. In the Black Sea area, the GFCM has adopted binding provisions to guarantee the protection of juvenile turbots until they reach the reproductive size, therefore contributing to the renewal of this population. This measure also foresees standards for turbot fisheries aimed at reducing by-catch of cetaceans.

The GFCM members have also agreed upon significant actions to strengthen the control and monitoring of fishing effort and fishing capacity through the adoption of guidelines to guarantee the enforcement of GFCM decisions and to strengthen governance in the management of fisheries through the establishment of protected areas.

Recognizing the key role to be played by aquaculture towards food security and economic growth, the GFCM has renewed its commitment to foster the sustainable development of aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea through the establishment of the first multi-stakeholder platform involving all players in the sector.

Finally, this year’s session was marked by substantial steps forward to support the reform process, launched in 2009 with the aim to modernize the institutional framework and ensure a more efficient functioning of the GFCM. Capitalizing on the efforts of all GFCM member States, this process should lay the foundations of enhanced sub-regional cooperation and bring a special focus to the long-term sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.