Objectives

FIGIS is designed according to guiding principles:

• to promote policy change towards the sustainable development of the world's fishery resources by highlighting major issues, presenting possible solutions and providing the best scientific information available;
• to offer a single and unique entry point to an integrated system comprising strategic data, information, analyses and reviews of issues and trends on a broad range of fisheries subjects;
• to provide integrated, quality-controlled, harmonized, streamlined and comprehensive information.

Strategies

The FIGIS system, using leading edge web-based information technologies (e.g. XML and Java), has developed Internet-based tools and functionality with the view to promote more effective and focussed cooperation between information sources, within FAO as well as between FAO, regional fisheries management organisations and national centres of excellence.In its first phase FIGIS's priority has been to modernise drastically, improve and streamline the global flow of information about fishery statistics, fishery resources and stock status and trends. In a second phase, the streamlining concept will be extended upstream the data collection mechanism with FIGIS also including the provision of methodological and operational tools that will assist the production of fishery statistical data at grassroot level.

Approaches

• Distributed architecture
• Framework of standards and information exchange protocols
• Information Partnerships
• Streamlined information flows

Coverage

The programme is global in scope.

Funding

The project supporting the development of the Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS) started in February 1999 and was closed in December 2005. This project was co-funded by the FAO Regular Programme and a Japanese trust fund, with additional support from a French trust fund. FIGIS has in the meantime been institutionalised as part of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department Regular Programme, which ensures its maintenance and further development together with complementary projects.

Logo	Organization	Project title
	WAICENT - The World Agricultural Information Centre of FAO	Development of the Fisheries Global InformationSystem (FIGIS)
	The Government of Japan	Component A: Development of Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS)
	Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres	Associate Professional Officers Programme