1. In line with its commitment towards environmental conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, the Government of Sweden (through its Ministry of Agriculture) decided to organize, in close cooperation with FAO, a Technical Consultation on the Precautionary Approach to Capture Fisheries (including Species Introductions). The meeting was hosted by the Institute of Marine Research, Lysekil, Sweden at the invitation of the Swedish National Board of Fisheries and was formally opened by her Excellency the Swedish Minister of Agriculture, Mrs Margareta Winberg.
2. The meeting was chaired by Per Wramner (Swedish National Board of Fisheries), assisted by Armin Lindquist (Swedish National Board of Fisheries) and Serge Garcia (FAO, Vice-Chairman). The participants attended in their personal capacity and were selected on the basis of their technical competence and level of expertise. Their deliberations were based on 7 background documents prepared specifically for the purpose, as well as on a number of other documents considered of relevance. Four Working Groups were established to discuss and prepare the sections of the draft guidelines related to: Research, Management, Technology and Species Introductions.
3. The Administrative Report of the meeting, including Agenda, List of Participants, background documentation, opening address by the Swedish Minister of Agriculture, and composition of Working Groups, has been published as FAO Fisheries Report, (527), 1995.
4. The following document first characterises the concept of precaution, then defines some of the important terms used in the Guidelines, and provides specific guidelines for management, research, technology development and transfer, and species introduction. Under each of these topics, a discussion is provided on its specific aspects, followed by specific guidance for implementation.
