These guidelines are for use in post emergency damage and needs assessment, and provide advice and a structure for assessing the requirements of relief and rehabilitation relating directly to fisheries and aquaculture. The guidelines are divided into two main sections:

1. General Guidelines - which provide an introduction to the work of conducting Disaster Needs Assessments and introduce the overall context of a disaster situation, paying particular attention to the structure of relief efforts and where a sector assessment of fisheries and aquaculture will fit in. These General Guidelines also cover the generic, non-technical issues relating to Disaster Needs Assessments that fisheries and aquaculture specialists will need to be aware of before they begin work.    
2. Detailed Technical Guidelines - which provide more detailed, technical guidelines organized under the key subsectors in fisheries and aquaculture and include checklists of key points that those carrying out a sector needs assessment should cover in their work.