Identification guide to the common coastal food fishes of the Pacific Islands region

The accurate identification of harvested species is essential for effective fisheries management. This guide has been developed to assist in the identification of the most commonly encountered species of coastal sharks, rays and bony fishes in artisanal and subsistence fisheries catches and domestic fish markets in the Pacific Islands region. While this guide has primarily been designed for Pacific Island fisheries and environmental officers tasked with undertaking surveys of catches or fish sold at market stalls, it will likely be useful for university students, non-governmental partners, fishers, and members of the public with a general interest in fish. This guide is intended to help fish surveyors working in the Pacific to more accurately identify the individual species they encounter, thereby resulting in more highly skilled surveyors, improved fisheries data collection and improved management of the region’s coastal fisheries resources.