In the middle of 2001 FAOs Fisheries Department organized a meeting of Intergovernmental Organizations to review and - to the extent possible - coordinate work programmes related to fishery subsidies. The meeting concluded that an introductory text on fishery subsidies would be useful and suggested that FAO prepare and publish such a document.
FAO commissioned Prof. William E. Schrank of Memorial University, St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada, to prepare the text.