This technical paper on fishing fleet profiling methodology is aimed at fisheries managers and decision-makers in developing countries who may have a scientific background but who are not necessarily specialists in statistics. It provides methods for profiling fishing fleets according to the available data and different management needs. Its aim is to provide a practical guide which makes these methods easily accessible, and which demonstrates the principles underlying the different standard techniques for profiling fishing fleets without claiming to eliminate the need for expert statistical analysis of complex multivariate data sets. The methods presented are of specific interest to technical staff in Fisheries Departments and those responsible for the collection and analysis of data on fishery resources and fleets. This work is based on experiences profiling different fishing fleets, notably the Moroccan coastal fishery and the artisanal fishery of Senegal, as well as numerous studies carried out by Ifremer on French fisheries. Many of the examples provided in this document are drawn from previous work on profiling fleets, and include extracts from the following documents:
Ferraris, J. 1997. Typologie de la flottille côtière marocaine. Tome 1: analyse des caractéristiques techniques des bateaux; Tome 2: analyse des stratégies d'exploitation. Projet FAO TCP/MOR/4556.
Pelletier, D. & Ferraris, J. 2000. A multivariate approach for defining fishing tactics from commercial catch and effort data. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 57: 1-15.
Rochet, M.J., Ferraris, J., Biseau, A. & Sabatier, R. 1994. Méthodes pour la typologie des flottilles de pêche: bilan et ouverture. Séminaire de typologie des flottilles, Nantes, 29-31 mars 1994. Ifremer, Nantes.
