There is now a widespread understanding of sustainable and responsible fisheries. The associated benefits include not only economic, social and environmental; forward-looking fisheries and resource use policies also make 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 opportunities for sustainable fisheries development; however, there is agreement that public availability of credible information is an essential component. The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) is dedicated to this goal. FiTI is a global multi-stakeholder partnership to strengthen transparency and participation for sustainable fisheries.
In April 2017, a global panel of government, business and civil society representatives adopted the global FiTI Standard. This standard defines for the first time what information governments must provide to the public.