Excessive fishing capacity is largely responsible for the degradation of marine fisheries resources, for the dissipation of food production potential and for significant economic waste, especially apparent in the form of redundant fishing inputs. The globalization of this phenomenon and the impact of excessive fishing capacity on the biological and economic conditions of many fisheries throughout the world have been matters of increasing concern in recent years. Consequently, FAO organized a Technical Working Group on the Management of Fishing Capacity in La Jolla, United States, from 15 to 18 April 1998. Selected papers prepared as reference material for the meeting are presented in this publication. Chapter 1 reviews underlying economics and methods of control while specific aspects of high seas fisheries are addressed in Chapter 2. Chapter 3 explores extensively the many issues raised in measuring fishing capacity and capacity utilization; the difficulties associated with assessment of fishing capacity at the global level are briefly discussed in Chapter 4.
