The implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) contributes to sustainable fisheries in various ways. The EAF-Nansen Programme has assisted several countries to understand, adopt and use an ecosystem approach in the management of their marine and coastal fisheries. The ecosystem approach to fisheries implementation monitoring tool (EAF IMT) is a tool for decision support and planning in the fisheries management process. It can be used by countries in strategic and operational planning processes for their fisheries, assisting them to determine where they are making acceptable progress and where there continue to be gaps and difficulties to address.

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The implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) contributes to sustainable fisheries in various ways. One of them is by reviewing national policy and legal instruments to identify gaps, which prevent a country from progressing towards full alignment with, and implementation of, an EAF. This diagnostic tool builds on the previous work of FAO by translating the 17 EAF components identified in the How-to Guide on legislating for an EAF into an EAF Legal Checklist. A diagnostic tool for implementing an EAF through policy and legal frameworks were developed to help legal practitioners, policymakers and fisheries managers in assessing and implementing an EAF.