The conservation, sustainable use and development of aquatic genetic resources (AqGR) is critical to the future supply of fish. The State of the World’s Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture is the first ever global assessment of these resources, with the scope of this first Report being limited to cultured AqGR and their wild relatives, within national jurisdiction. The Report draws on 92 reports from FAO member countries and five specially commissioned thematic background studies. The reporting countries are responsible for 96 percent of global aquaculture production. The Report sets the context with a review of the state of world’s aquaculture and fisheries and includes overviews of the uses and exchanges of AqGR, the drivers and trends impacting AqGR and the extent of ex situ and in situ conservation efforts. The Report also investigates the roles of stakeholders in AqGR and the levels of activity in research, education, training and extension, and reviews national policies and the levels of regional and international cooperation on AqGR. Finally, needs and challenges are assessed in the context of the findings from the data collected from the countries. The Report represents a snapshot of the present status of AqGR and forms a valuable technical reference document, particularly where it presents standardized key terminology and concepts.

This book explores fish genetic resources while emphasizing the importance of genetic diversity for the sustainability of global fish populations. Amidst challenges like overfishing and climate change, preserving fish genetic resources is vital. This book acts as a resource guide and provides an overview of fish genetics, conservation challenges, and sustainable strategies. This work is a call to action, aiming to bridge scientific research with practical application, guiding readers towards sustainable management of fish genetic wealth. It also contains several case studies that highlight the successes and lessons from past conservation efforts. The promotion of sustainable practices also advocates for holistic strategies benefiting the environment and human communities. The technological insights covered in the book, introduce the latest fish genetics research and its conservation applications. It also addresses the national and international frameworks for fish genetic resource conservation. This book covers educational tools designed for students, researchers, professionals and policy makers in advanced aquatic biology and fisheries management.

Aiming to build regional capacity in aquaculture governance in Asia-Pacific, FAO and NACA jointly implemented a regional consultation in collaboration with NACA member governments to assess the status of aquaculture governance in Asia, share experiences and lessons learned in aquaculture governance among countries, and recommend strategies and actions for further improvement. The consultation consisted of two major activities: country assessment studies and a regional consultative workshop. The country assessment studies were carried out by seven national experts in seven selected countries including Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Viet Nam. The consultative workshop was conducted in 5-6 November 2019 in Bangkok, attended by 33 participants including experts and government officers from 15 Asian countries and representatives from FAO, NACA and the Asian Institute of Technology. The findings of the assessment studies were presented to the workshop, and participants then worked on identifying gaps, constraints, and challenges in aquaculture governance in the region and put forward recommendations for further improvement. This publication presents the seven country assessment studies and the outputs of the workshop, including the summary of the status of aquaculture governance in the region, challenges and issues in governing process, and recommendations for further strengthening aquaculture governance in the region.