This regional review study is an effort to promote improved inland fisheries management under the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries. It covers ten Asian countries with significant inland capture fisheries, namely Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Viet Nam. The review study was conducted in collaboration with the Network of Aquaculture Centre in Asia-Pacific (NACA). Experts from the ten participating countries prepared a comprehensive review paper for each country during November 2009 to February 2010 following the guidelines jointly developed by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and NACA.

A regional expert workshop on inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation in Asia was subsequently convened by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and NACA from 8 to 11 February 2010 in Pattaya, Thailand. The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, NACA, the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) as well as the ten experts from the ten countries who participated in the review study attended. The workshop participants shared experiences and lessons on inland fisheries enhancement and conservation practices across the region, discussed the impacts of inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation practices, identified the constraints and related problems from a regional perspective and recommended regional collaborative activities to promote improved practices of inland fisheries resource enhancement and conservation. A regional synthesis report was produced as the major of the workshop.

All the country review papers were presented, commented on and reviewed by a panel of experts during the workshop. The authors revised their manuscripts following the suggestions made by the review panel. The regional synthesis report was drafted by Sena De Silva (Director General, Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand) based on the workshop discussions and further reviewed. The revised country papers were then reviewed and technically edited by an editorial team, which consisted of Miao Weimin (Aquaculture Officer, FAO Regional Officer for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand), Sena De Silva and Brian Davy (Senior Fellow, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Ottawa, Canada) before the authors finalised their manuscripts. The manuscripts were then reedited by the FAO Regional Office staff for final printing after receiving the final confirmed version from the authors.

Audio recordings of the presentations are also available for download.