Inland fisheries are strongly impacted by other users of water and land resources. The management of inland fisheries therefore requires an ecosystem approach which takes into account biological, human, economic and social factors within the fishery as well as outside the sector.  The engagement of relevant stakeholders and to plan, develop and manage fisheries in a manner that can seek to address multiple needs and desires of societies is a keep feature of the approach. The approach also   places a priority on the sustainability, to ensure that short term actions do not jeopardize the options for future generations to benefit from the full range of goods and services provided by freshwater/inland water ecosystems.

FAO works to promote responsible management of inland fisheries through ecosystem approaches. Inland fisheries can be managed, but often, this needs to be addressed in dialogue with other resource users. FAO has also reviewed impacts of environmental considerations, including climate change as they are major drivers of the   productivity and resilience of inland fisheries.