FIDI disseminates its statistical collections through various means: FAO fishery statistics yearbooks, the FISHSTAT+ software (a stand-alone package downloadable from the FAO home page¹ together with the relevant datasets), and the Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS - a web-based integrated system allowing on-line queries² of the statistical collections).

FIGIS is in fact more than a web statistical system. It is a knowledge management system under advanced development, based on the integration of the various statistical and non-statistical databases owned by the Fisheries Department. It also includes a GIS component and interconnects to various existing information networks. FIGIS employs a 3-tier architecture which is compliant with the FAO IT standards, and in particular is platform and proprietary software independent, scalable, and based on open IT standards such as Java, XML/XSL and HTML.

The FIGIS statistical application involves five major components, the overall consistency of which is ensured by an over-riding FIGIS Metadata component.

FIGIS reference data management system :³
In order to facilitate the exchange and integration of data from different sources over the Internet, FIGIS promotes the adoption of standards. Controlled terms, concepts and international statistical classifications used to structure and index statistical and non-statistical information managed by FIGIS are stored and disseminated through the FIGIS Reference Table module. The front-end reflects for example the content and structure of the Handbook of Fishery Statistical Standards. By providing a web access to a standard thesaurus of fisheries terms, this tool facilitates the work of partners that have to prepare their own data according to agreed standards. The FIGIS Reference Table module is also the essential FIGIS component with respect to application integration (including GIS), as it provides standard reference terms and codes for any indexing requirements.

FIGIS plans to couple this module with the WAICENT Fishery Glossary application, so that existing definitions in the glossary will be accessible from the terms archived in the reference tables.

FIGIS statistical dissemination system:
The FIGIS statistics gateway page provides a direct access to an on-line statistical query facility. At present, FIGIS disseminates seven diverse collections of global fishery statistics compiled by the FAO Fisheries Department. The five first are under the ownership of FIDI, while the last two are under the ownership of the Fishery Marine Resources Service (FIRM):

- Capture fishery production 1970-2000
- Aquaculture production 1970-2000
- Total capture production 1950-2000 (capture production plus aquaculture production)
- Commodities, production and trade 1976-2000
- Fishery fleet 1970-98 (to be published in 2003)
- Tuna Nominal catches
- Tuna Atlas

It is planned to integrate in a near future two additional global collections (Apparent consumption of fish and fishery products based on food balance sheets 1961-99; and Number of fishers 1970-1997), and two statistical collections of regional level, with a finer geographical resolution (Mediterranean capture fishery production 1970-2000; and Eastern Central Atlantic capture fishery production 1970-2000)

The FIGIS statistical query panel is a powerful tool for conducting complex searches on the statistical data, with outputs in various formats ranging from HTML tables presenting both detailed data and dynamically aggregated totals, HTML configurable graphs, XML formats for the production of paper outputs (e.g. statistical yearbooks), to text files for downloading purpose.

FIGIS mapping engine:
The most recent development achieved on the Tuna Atlas (tuna capture statistics compiled by species, fishing gear, five degree square, and quarter of a year) deals with an additional mapping output, allowing representation of the spatial distribution of these georeferenced statistics according to a global grid system. This mapping engine is based (in the back-end) on the KIMS open source software developed by WAICENT. This Tuna Atlas prototype can be easily customised to fit the needs for spatial representation of any georeferenced statistical data set.

FIGIS fact sheets:
Utilizing the integrating capabilities of FIGIS, selected statistical views (e.g. tables, graphs, or maps of geo-referenced statistics) can be generated which incorporate with other pieces of knowledge (text, maps) and show these within an information product called a fact sheet. An example of a species fact sheet thus includes dynamically-generated pre-customised graphs of global yearly capture and aquaculture production for that species⁴.

FIGIS fact sheets can be customised to any information domain. Thus, fact sheets were designed for the description of statistical collections including data structure, aggregation levels, definitions and standards used, data sources, and quality assurance documenting the collection and processing of statistics. These "statistical collection" fact sheets are accessible together with the data querying tool from the statistics gateway page⁵.

FIGIS statistical working system:
The statistical working system is currently under development. It is designed to allow statistical clerks and professionals to fulfil, under controlled access, their tasks as part of the statistical update cycle: extracting data to either proceed with simple on-line modifications, or to export sub-sets of data for further analyses or editing in dedicated software such as Excel, or SPSS, or even to produce tailored questionnaires to be dispatched to countries; importing updated data into the FIGIS database, including notes, quality flags, and sources; maintaining both country statistical sources as originally supplied, and FAO validated/estimated figures; reviewing data consistency from printed working reports; and a validating process by responsible professional staff for internet deployment.

FiStatXML⁶, the FIGIS proposed XML standard for exchange of statistical information across systems is one essential component of this statistical working system. The FiStatXML format, which is intended to streamline statistical information flows from national through regional, to global levels of reporting, should become the standard that providers of statistics will use to transmit their data to FAO. FIGIS intends to provide its partners and national fishery statistical offices with a friendly user interface that will facilitate the statistical reporting utilizing this standard.

The documentation about this standard can be found on the Fisheries Metadata Element Set (FiMES) web-site⁷ together with other FIGIS proposed XML standards for the exchange of fishery knowledge.

FIGIS and the FAOSTAT2 project

In January 2003 FAO launched the FAOSTAT2 project⁸, the aim of which is the modernization of the now 10 year-old FAOSTAT system. FAOSTAT2 will enhance workflow, screening and processing methods, integration and dissemination of statistical data sets. To improve data quality, all data entered into the system would be submitted to a series of rigorous editing and consistency checks. The system is expected to improve the information available for indicators, projections and forecasts. It will comprise an application called CountryStat, which will provide countries with functionality to compile, validate, analyze and disseminate their national data. The FIGIS statistical system is seen as a strong candidate for providing the foundations of FAOSTAT2.