The theme of the workshop was sustaining the fisheries resource and alleviating poverty among fisherfolk, which can be achieved through ‘smart partnerships’ among the different types of stakeholders – such as the government, the fisherfolk community, the scientists and the private sector. Each presentation and discussion at the workshop provided insights into the successes and failures of fisheries management and yielded suggestions for more successful practices. Community based management, highlighted throughout, was seen as a key factor behind the sustainability of fishing industries, whether national or global.