In the first part of this three-part paper, the author discusses the importance of fisheries as a source of employment, food and income, particularly in developing countries. In the second part, she describes the various competing interests in fisheries, and the challenges faced by the governments in balancing these interests. She looks at the institutional responses to fisheries issues since the 1970s, and the main instruments created for fisheries management and sustainable development at the regional and international levels. In part three she discusses the crucial roles women play in fisheries and fishing communities, their invisibility and the need to include them as actors and stakeholders in policy, management and operational decision-making. She stresses that the SIGI initiative will enhance women’s visibility in fisheries, broaden their understanding about the origins and causes of the global fisheries crisis, and enhance their credibility as informed stakeholders who can lead and politically influence decision-making fora.