FIE aims at supporting national, regional and global policies for sustainable and responsible capture fisheries and aquaculture. This means, inter alia, to facilitate the assessment and comprehension of the evolving situation of  fisheries and fish resources by all stakeholders, as well as the implementation of international instruments and the adoption of principles and guidelines in emerging areas of interest.

FIE provides leadership, advice, assistance, information and support to FAO Members and other fisheries related entities in capture fisheries and aquaculture policy and management. Those entities include UN and its specialized agencies and programmes, other international organizations both governmental and non-governmental, including regional fishery bodies and regional economic groupings, and the private sector. The scope of such support includes, among others, the social, economic, institutional governance and policy aspects of sustainable capture fisheries and aquaculture, particularly with a view at food security and poverty reduction and with particular emphasis on small-scale capture fisheries and aquaculture.

To this end, within the Department, FIE is responsible for Policy formulation and implementation implying, inter alia, the following tasks:

• Analysis, development and promotion of policies, instruments and strategies for fostering responsible capture fisheries and aquaculture
• Assessment of the impact of sustainable commercial aquaculture on food security, poverty alleviation and economic growth in developing countries
• Advice on national policies and issues related to capture fisheries and aquaculture
• Global, regional and national support to capture fisheries and aquaculture
• Monitoring and analysis of issues, particularly emerging issues, with implications for capture fisheries and aquaculture at global, regional and national levels
• Contribute to priority setting in formulation of international capture fisheries and aquaculture agendas
• Advice and implementation of programmes for capacity-building and institutional strengthening particularly in developing countries at national and regional level, including in the methodologies of capture fisheries and aquaculture policy and strategy formulation, planning and development.