FAO Fishing Areas

FAO Major Fishing Areas for Statistical Purposes are arbitrary areas, the boundaries of which were determined in consultation with international fishery agencies on various considerations, including (i) the boundary of natural regions and the natural divisions of oceans and seas; (ii) the boundaries of adjacent statistical fisheries bodies already established in inter-governmental conventions and treaties; (iii) existing national practices; (iv) national boundaries; (v) the longitude and latitude grid system; (vi) the distribution of the aquatic fauna; and (vii) the distribution of the resources and the environmental conditions within an area.

For various historical reasons the Areas in the Pacific were not so developed, with the exception of Area 87 corresponding to the CPPS area of competence. Initiatives for closer cooperation between agencies in the interest of better data, not only in the field of tunas, have suggested that some changes are necessary to the present FAO fishing areas/boundaries in the Pacific.

The boundaries of fishing areas could be modified and adjusted according to new requirements, but it is inadvisable to introduce too frequent amendments to the already established areas. Revisions to boundaries should only be introduced after consultation with all the national fishery authorities and fishery agencies concerned with the areas under revision. Unless there are other over-riding reasons, boundaries lines should be drawn along 5° lines of longitude and latitude.