The sources used for the development of RFB summary descriptions are RFB websites, and FAO publications about RFBs, possibly supplemented by direct inputs by RFB offices involved in the validation of their summary description.

Processing Method:  The Fisheries and Aquaculture Department makes commitment to have the RFB web-site as updated as possible. The policy applied for the development of this collection of RFB summary descriptions is:

i) Content ownership: the summary descriptions of the RFB was made using the RFB's own language, while striving to maintain consistency and harmonised presentation across the whole collection. These descriptions were therefore validated by the concerned RFB before publication.

ii) Up-to-date information: there should be as little discrepancy as possible between the information contained in the summary and the information contained in the RFB site. The Policy, Economics and Institutions Service (FIPI) of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department is the overall responsible unit for ensuring accurate and up-to-date information. FIPI seeks agreed mechanisms with the RFBs for updating content.
As a general rule of thumb and in order to facilitate the process, these summary descriptions are to very static type of information, such as Legal foundations, Main functions, Objectives, Area of competence (+map), Institutional structure, language used. The concern is especially on more dynamic information such as membership: each RFB might decide to add disclaimers, or to substitute membership list with a link on its own website. For the same reasons, Meetings, Events, News, and Publications are not displayed for those non FAO fishery bodies. Instead, being part of the FAO general information management procedures, these are up-to-date for FAO regional fishery bodies and are therefore displayed in these summary descriptions.

iii) Streamlined flows: one should avoid duplication of work. The use of common Metadata standards enables to recycle the information presented in the RFB website for the RFB summary description. This logic is applied for synchronising the updates made on the AboutUs section of the GFCM website and the GFCM summary description. A similar approach in used between FIRMS and the FI website: in FIRMS, the description of FIRMS partners institutions is under the full maintenance responsibility of the FIRMS partners, and the information presented in FIRMS is recycled and presented in the FI website RFB summary descriptions.