Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) is a network of partnering United Nations Agencies, international organizations and national institutions focused on promoting and making accessible aquatic sciences, fisheries and aquaculture research.
Established in 1971, the goal of ASFA is to promote and disseminate the world’s research on aquatic sciences, fisheries and aquaculture. To achieve this, each ASFA partner uses OpenASFA to create bibliographic records for their institution’s research and datasets. All records are indexed with terminology from standardized vocabularies, including the ASFA Thesaurus which is developed and maintained by ASFA partners in collaboration with AGROVOC. Both OpenASFA and the ASFA Thesaurus are freely searchable online.
ASFA Products
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OpenASFA
OpenASFA is a bibliographic database containing detailed description of publications and datasets related to aquatic sciences, fisheries and aquaculture. OpenASFA is created and maintained by a network of partnering United Nations Agencies, international organizations and national institutions called ASFA Partners and is freely searchable through its FAO platform.
ASFA Thesaurus
The ASFA Thesaurus is used to index records on OpenASFA. The thesaurus covers all topics within ASFA’s subject scope: science, technology, management, and conservation of marine, brackish water, and freshwater resources and environments, including their socio-economic and legal aspects. The Thesaurus is also used by a number of aquatic science institutions around the world and is free to browse, search and connect to online.
Publications
Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) brochure
2026
This brochure presents an overview of the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) partnership and its Global Information System. It outlines ASFA’s vision and mission to improve access to aquatic science, fisheries and aquaculture information, describes its governance and objectives, introduces the ASFA Information System, and explains how institutions can join and contribute to the network.
ASFA Advisory Board (Virtual) Meeting, 16–18 September 2024 - Summary report
2025
The 2024 ASFA Advisory Board Meeting was held virtually from 16–18 September. The Board adopted new terms of reference, effective 1 January 2025, replacing the 30-year-old partnership agreement. The Advisory Board will be replaced by a Steering Committee, making 2024 its final meeting. The new terms remove the ASFA Secretariat role, though FAO will continue administrative and operational support.
ASFA Magazine, Issue #9 – May 2025
2025
This issue of ASFA Magazine explores ASFA’s evolving role in the era of AI, from improving technical translations and data recording to advancing the vision of a universal library. It highlights AI’s opportunities and risks, while ensuring inclusive progress. The issue also includes partner updates, event highlights, and a tribute to Jacqueline Prod’homme, a devoted ASFA partner and advocate for knowledge sharing.
Contact us
For enquiries on ASFA, please email: [email protected]