The understanding of sustainable and responsible fishing is now widespread. The associated benefits are not only economic, social and environmental; a forward-looking fisheries and resource utilisation policy also makes an important contribution to food security. Countries around the world are therefore engaged in national, regional and global initiatives to conserve marine biodiversity and support the capture fisheries sector in providing income and food for millions of people.
There are many options for the sustainable development of fisheries; however, there is a consensus that the public availability of credible information is an essential component. This is the goal of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI). FiTI is a global multi-stakeholder partnership to strengthen transparency and participation for sustainable fisheries.
In April 2017, a global committee of representatives from governments, business and civil society adopted the global FiTI standard. This standard defines for the first time what information governments must provide to the public.