Nearly three quarters of the most important wild fish stocks around the world are exploited at their maximum level, over-exploited or threatened today by over-exploitation. In certain areas, continuation of the policies and fishing practices of the last few decades is neither responsible nor sustainable, from environmental, social or economic points of view.

Because of this reality, it is highest priority to build synergies between actors of the fishing sector operating around the world. That is the reason why, at an international level, civil society organizations, private companies and public institutions have decided to unite their efforts in order to reverse this trend and to create an action group to promote responsible fishing; a group named the RFA (Responsible Fishing Alliance).

To accomplish this strategy, the RFA is committed in the following activities:

1. support the organization and activities of producers,

2. diffusion of scientific works and technical experiences supporting good fisheries practices,

3. information and the education of the economic actors,

4. discussion with political decision makers,

5. added value through eco-labeling.

Members of the Alliance are private or public legal entities: companies with commercial statutes, public or semi-public organizations, associations, co-operatives, and private collectives engaged in fishing activities or using fishery products.

The originality of the RFA is that it brings together different actors of the fishing sector to discuss, collectively and in a very pragmatic way, the various issues that affect fisheries. Thus, the conduct of field "laboratory projects" is intended to highlight good practices that could be duplicated and/or expanded in other parts of the globe. In addition, the Responsible Fishing Alliance works to make these initiatives autonomous through the establishment of responsible and sustainable trade relations between fishermen and actors down the chain.