A review of fisheries management past and present and some future perspectives for the third millennium

A broad-brush review is provided of key issues and events of science-based fisheries management from historical times to the present. Key trends in fisheries assessment, control and surveillance, capacity and its relevance to marine fishery ecosystems are described, particularly those issues where FAO has played a key role. The paper also considers social and institutional issues of relevance. A perspective is offered for the evolution of possible fishery management paradigms that may apply at the start of the third Millenium.