Methods, standards and classifications
In response to a growing demand for high-quality and internationally-comparable statistics, FAO develops, implements and promotes methods and standards to guide national data producers in generating and using sound statistics. In particular, the Organization is committed to provide national statistical systems with internationally recognized definitions, concepts and classifications as well as methodological guidance for the production of high quality statistics related to food and agriculture.
Methods
Methods
FAO develops methods to guide national data producers in generating and using sound statistics. The FAO Statistics Resource Repository presents statistics-oriented
research on topics related to FAO's mandate. It provides guidelines, handbooks, working papers and training materials for statisticians, researchers and academics.
Corporate Standards
Data and Statistical Standard Series
The FAO Data and Statistical Standard Series covers topical issues for data and statistics and provides statisticians with the guidance needed to ensure that timely and high-quality data and statistics are produced and disseminated.
Classifications
Caliper - Statistical Classifications
Consult Caliper, an FAO tool for the dissemination of statistical classifications, and browse, search, download and query classifications and correspondences.
List of classifications relevant to FAO's mandate
FAO maintains information on the main classifications owned by the Organization, the UN Statistical Division and other international organizations that are relevant to its mandate.
Fishery and Aquaculture
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | https://www.fao.org/cwp-on-fishery-statistics/handbook/general-concepts/main-water-areas/en/ and https://www.fao.org/fishery/en/area/search |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Availability | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery and aquaculture statistics |
Purpose | For statistical purposes, particularly for reporting fishery and aquaculture production. FAO Major Fishing Areas for Statistical Purposes are arbitrary areas, the boundaries of which have been determined in consultation with international fishery agencies. The rationale of the FAO Major Fishing Areas has been that the areas should, as far as possible, coincide with the areas of competence of other fishery commissions when existing. This system facilitates comparison of data, and improves the possibilities of cooperation in statistical matters in general. |
Main Applications | To classify capture fisheries and aquaculture production by areas where the fish is caught or harvested. When establishing new regional fishery bodies, FAO Major Areas often becomes a basis to determine the scope of their jurisdiction. |
Main Users | FAO, national fishery and aquaculture statistical offices, international organizations, regional fisheries bodies. |
Methodology | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Scope | Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Geographic areas | ||||||||||||||||||||
Statistical Units | Fishing area | ||||||||||||||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Criteria for Definition of Levels | The FAO Major Fishing Areas for Statistical Purposes are arbitrary areas the boundaries of which were determined in consultation with international fishery agencies on the basis of various considerations, including: the boundary of natural regions and the natural divisions of oceans and seas; the boundaries of adjacent statistical fisheries bodies that had already been established in intergovernmental conventions and treaties; existing national practices; national boundaries; the longitude and latitude grid system; the distribution of the aquatic fauna; the distribution of resources and the environmental conditions within an area. For statistical purposes, 26 major areas currently exist. These comprise: seven major inland areas covering the inland waters of the continents and 19 major marine areas covering the waters of the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans, with their adjacent seas. Until 1990, another area existed for inland area “Former USSR area”. Some FAO major marine areas are further divided into subareas, divisions and subdivisions, according to the needs of the regional fishery management bodies responsible for managing the fisheries and fishery resources of the individual FAO Major Areas. These systems of subareas, divisions and subdivisions have been successfully developed and implemented by relevant regional fishery bodies; any modifications are duly reported to CWP. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Website: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: Documenting Website: Reason for Latest Revision: Major Changes: | ||||||||||||||||||||
Contact Information | Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 2000 |
Year Published | First version (2002); Last version (2019) |
Availability | Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery and aquaculture statistics |
Purpose | Please note that this is a list, not a classification. ASFIS is a list of species used to classify fisheries and aquaculture data at either the species, genus, family or higher taxonomic levels in statistical categories referred to as species items. |
Main Applications | Classifying aquaculture and fisheries data by species items. Used by countries, regional and international organizations when reporting and exchanging information. |
Main Users | FAO, national fishery and aquaculture statistical offices, international organizations, regional fisheries bodies. |
Methodology | |||||||||
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Scope | To classify fisheries and aquaculture species items by an ISSCAAP code, a taxonomic code, a 3-alpha code, a scientific name, taxonomic classification at family and at a higher taxonomic level. | ||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Goods, aquatic animals | ||||||||
Statistical Units | Species item | ||||||||
Relationship to Other International Classifications | Related To: | ||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Criteria for Definition of Levels | ASFIS is a list of species that includes 12 771 species items (2019 version), selected on the basis of their interest or relation to fisheries and aquaculture. For each species item stored in a record, the following descriptors are available:
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Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Title or version number: Website: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: Next Review: Reason for Latest Revision: Major Changes: | ||||||||
Contact Information | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 00153 Rome, Italy | ||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 1969 |
Year Published | 2001 |
Availability | English, French and Spanish |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery and aquaculture statistics |
Purpose | ISSCAAP classifies aquatic commercial species into 50 groups and nine divisions on the basis of their taxonomic, ecological and economic characteristics. |
Main Applications | For aggregating aquatic species on the basis of their taxonomic, ecological and economic characteristics. |
Main Users | FAO, national fishery and aquaculture statistical offices, international organizations, regional fisheries bodies and users of the FAO Fishery and aquaculture statistics. |
Methodology | |||||||||||||
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Scope | ISSCAAP classifies aquatic commercial species into 50 groups and nine divisions on the basis of their taxonomic, ecological and economic characteristics. | ||||||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Goods, animals | ||||||||||||
Statistical Units | Species | ||||||||||||
Relationship to Other International Classifications | Related To: | ||||||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Criteria for Definition of Levels | The ISSCAAP comprises 50 groups under nine divisions. The first eight divisions are dedicated to major groups of marine and freshwater animals, the ninth division is for aquatic plants. Species are classified by these groups and divisions on the basis of their taxonomic, ecological and economic characteristics. | ||||||||||||
Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Title or version number: Website: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: Next Review: Reason for Latest Revision: Major Changes: | ||||||||||||
Contact Information | Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics | ||||||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 1965 |
Year Published | 2019 |
Availability | English, French and Spanish |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery and aquaculture statistics |
Purpose | This classification is designed to cover the products derived from fish, crustaceans, molluscs, other aquatic animals and plants for which the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) collects national statistics on production and trade on a regular basis. It includes live species as well products resulting from further processing of species destined to human consumption or to other purposes including ornamental. |
Main Applications | For collection and dissemination of fisheries commodities production and trade statistics by FAO. One basic purpose of the classification system for fish and fishery products was to improve presentation of comparability of statistics of different types collected from a wide range of sources. It also serves as: a) a basis for statistical collection procedures; b) a framework for compilation and presentation of statistics; c) aggregates and elements for analyses; d) a set of elements (or building blocks) suitable for rearrangement or expansion for special studies or for special purpose classification systems. |
Main Users | Users of the FAO Fisheries commodities production and trade statistics and Fishery statistical offices. |
Methodology | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Scope | The ISSCFC classification is designed to cover fish, crustaceans, molluscs, other aquatic animals, plants and their based products for which FAO collects production and trade statistics on a regular basis. Products are classified according to the species and to the degree of processing. It also includes species for ornamental purposes, for culture (i.e. fingerlins, fry, etc), corals, sponges, residues, seaweeds and other algae. At present, it does not include aquatic mammals, frogs and crocodiles. Fisheries operations and services are also excluded, along with other fishery-based activities. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Goods | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Statistical Units | Commodity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Relationship to Other International Classifications | Related To: Major Differences (Scope, Structure, and Concepts): | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Note | This classification is based on the SITC’s structure, with additional codes to include links to ISSCAAP and breakdown by additional species and product forms. It is a hierarchical classification, but the number of codes is not fixed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Title or version number: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: Next Review: Reason for Latest Revision: Major Changes: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contact Information | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 1984 |
Year Published | 2015 |
Availability | English |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery statistics |
Purpose | Under the ISSCFV, the CWP adopted three classifications, which cover the major features critical in classifying vessels based on type by GRT, length classes (length overall) and vessel types. |
Main Applications | Assessing fleet capacity and classification in vessel registries. |
Main Users | FAO, statistical officers, fishery scientists, MCS (management, control and surveillance) of fishing activities, Regional Fisheries Bodies. |
Methodology | |||||||||||||
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Scope | To classify fishing vessels Classification should be applied based on vessel structure and type. | ||||||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Equipment, vehicles | ||||||||||||
Statistical Units | Fishing operational unit | ||||||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Title or version number: Website: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: Reason for Latest Revision: Major Changes: | ||||||||||||
Contact Information | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations | ||||||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 1977 |
Year Published | 1990 |
Availability | English |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery statistics |
Purpose | Under the ISSCFV, the CWP adopted three classifications, which cover the major features critical in classifying vessels based on type by GRT, length classes (length overall) and vessel types. |
Main Applications | Assessing fleet capacity, classification in vessel registration. |
Main Users | FAO, Statistical officers, fishery scientists, MCS (management, control and surveillance) of fishing activities, Regional Fisheries Bodies. |
Methodology | |||||||||||||
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Scope | To classify fishing vessels. Classification should be applied based on gross registered tonnage measurement. | ||||||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Equipment, vehicles | ||||||||||||
Statistical Units | Fishing operational unit | ||||||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Year Adopted: Title or version number: Website: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: Reason for Latest Revision: Major Changes: | ||||||||||||
Contact Information | Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics | ||||||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 1982 |
Year Published | 1982 |
Availability | English |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery statistics |
Purpose | Under the ISSCFV, the CWP adopted three classifications, which cover the major features critical in classifying vessels based on type by GRT, length classes (length overall) and vessel types. |
Main Applications | Assessing fleet capacity, classification in vessel registration. |
Main Users | FAO, Statistical officers, fishery scientists, MCS (management, control and surveillance) of fishing activities. |
Methodology | |||||||||
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Scope | To classify fishing vessels. Classification should be applied based on vessel shapes, structure and size measurements. The classification contains three determinates of vessel, i.e. type and two types of sizes (gross tonnage and length overall). | ||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Equipment, vehicles | ||||||||
Statistical Units | Fishing operational unit | ||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Contact Information | Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics | ||||||||
General Information | |
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Status | Operational |
Website | |
Custodian | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (Secretariat of the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics) |
Year Adopted | 1980 |
Availability | English, French and Spanish |
Purpose of the Classification | |
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Statistical Domain | Fishery statistics |
Purpose | Although this classification was initially designed to improve the compilation of harmonized catch and effort data on the STATLANT B questionnaires and in fish stock assessment exercises, it has also been found very useful for fisheries technology and the training of fishers. It has been used in particular for reference in works dealing with the theory and construction of gear and for the preparation of specialized catalogues on artisanal and industrial fishing methods. |
Main Applications | Identifying the fishing technology in reporting on fishing CATCH and EFFORT; a part of basic definition of different "fisheries". |
Main Users | Fishery statistical offices, fishery scientists, MCS (management, control and surveillance) of fishing activities, fisheries technology and training fishers. |
Methodology | |||||||||||||
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Scope | The classification is developed based on fish entangling mechanisms and gear structure used with a global emphasis on existing major fishing areas in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. | ||||||||||||
Concept Being Classified | Goods, equipment | ||||||||||||
Statistical Units | Fishing operational unit; holding | ||||||||||||
Classification Structure |
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Revision Information | Chronology of revisions/versions of the classification: Year Adopted: Title or Version Number: Website: Official Adopting Entity: Coordinating Entity: | ||||||||||||
Contact Information | Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics | ||||||||||||