FISHINFONetwork

Who we are

The FISHINFONetwork (FIN) consists of seven independent intergovernmental and governmental organizations plus the FAO based GLOBEFISH unit. The latter unit is part of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). GLOBEFISH is an integral part of FIN and plays a critical role in the network’s activities.

In 1986, in its first session, the FAO Sub-Committee on Fish Trade recognized the work of the four existing FIN offices (INFOPESCA created in 1977, INFOFISH in 1981, INFOPECHE and GLOBEFISH in 1984), marking the organizations as the start of a worldwide network for fish marketing development support.

Today, FIN has more than 70 full-time staff members and works with over 100 additional international consultants in all fields of fisheries. 50 national governments have signed international agreements with the different FIN services and are using the expertise of these services to develop the fishery sector worldwide.

What we do

Created to develop the fisheries and aquaculture sector particularly in developing countries and countries in transition, the network provides services to private industry and to governments. The execution of multilateral and bilateral projects is one of the main activities of the network. It is also widely known for its range of publications and periodicals as well as for the organization of international conferences, events, workshops and training seminars on seafood commodities and developing trends, offering experts the opportunity to share their views in person.

In particular, FIN promotes trade in fish products by:

  • providing up-to-date information on markets and prices;
  • bringing buyers and sellers together in international conferences;
  • training industry and government on quality requirements of the main markets.

FIN offers information in several languages on international fish trade including market studies, fish price reports and statistical information.

Success stories

The experiences of GLOBEFISH and FIN have been included in a publication highlighting FAO success stories, demonstrating how the network has played a vital role in collecting and sharing fish trade information world-wide.

The publication is available in all FAO languages. See chapter 4, "Establishing and linking global fish-trade information networks" to read more about GLOBEFISH and FIN:

English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Arabic

Meet the organizations

  • GLOBEFISH 

GLOBEFISH is the multi-donor funded project within the FAO Fisheries Division responsible for information and analysis of international fish trade and markets.

INFOPESCA is the oldest organization in FIN and was established in 1977. It is based in Uruguay and concentrates on the fisheries in Latin America.

INFOFISH is the leading source of marketing support for fish producers and exporters in the Asia (Pacific region), which includes some of the largest fishing nations in the world. It was established in 1981 with the headquarters located in Malaysia.

INFOPECHE is the African Fisheries Information service and is based in in Cote d'Ivoire. It was established in 1984 as a project implemented by FAO.

INFOSAMAK was first established in Manama, Bahrain in 1986 and then moved to Morocco in 2000. INFOSAMAK provides the Arab speaking countries with information and assistance on trade in fishery and aquaculture products and encourages the promotion of investments in the sector.

The International Organisation for the Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Europe was established in 2002. Eurofish serves the needs of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Europe and surrounding countries.

  • INFOYU (China)

In 1997, GLOBEFISH assisted China in setting up the special information unit INFOYU, which then became a part of FIN. INFOYU is the Chinese member of the network and is based in Beijing.

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