Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI)

Sustainable fisheries need transparency! The world’s fish stocks are facing an uncertain future. Poor fisheries governance is part of the problem, causing overexploitation as well as unfair benefit sharing. Various factors contribute to this, including setting catch quotas too high, sub-optimal allocation of subsidies and even corruption. Many states also face considerable difficulties in addressing illegal fishing and ensuring that the fishing sector reports timely and accurate catch data. While there are many aspects to achieve sustainable fisheries, the public availability of credible information is critical. Without transparency governments cannot function to their potential. Transparency of information nurtures knowledge and the sharing of ideas. It also deepens the understanding of the important nature of the fisheries sectors, as well as the challenges that exist. Yet, in many countries information on the fisheries sector is not available at all, nor is it shared widely. Moreover, the dissemination of information is often not timely, of insufficient quality or objectivity, or presented in ways that make it inaccessible to citizens. The Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) helps countries to overcome these challenges by providing internationallyrecognized procedures in order to achieve and maintain high levels of transparency on the management of the marine fisheries sector and the activities of fishers and fishing companies. The FiTI is a unique initiative! It is the only global effort that promotes a level playing field in fisheries through transparency and multi-stakeholder collaboration.