Despite the environmental, economic, political, and cultural importance of fisheries, English literature on international fisheries law predominantly takes a specialized approach, with few, if any, broader and comprehensive books published since 1999. Thus, this enriching volume addresses a key literature gap, bringing together internationally renowned scholars to begin charting and tackling several pivotal internal and external challenges facing international fisheries law and its institutions.Footnote ¹

Contributions revolve around three substantive themes, namely: (1) the interdisciplinary chapters identifying future regulatory challenges; (2) the articulation and implementation of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management; and finally (3) the difficulties and actors involved in compliance and enforcement. As the title suggests, emphasis lies on strengthening regional fisheries governance as opposed to questioning the existing framework. With this book's focus on analyzing practice, as opposed to broader theoretical or foundational questions, there is plenty of substance to interest practitioners, policy-makers, and scholars alike.

The scale of necessary institutional, legal, and policy changes advanced in this volume is daunting. By bringing together these selected themes in one volume, the compounding nature of the challenges becomes apparent. The brief coverage of the human element of fisheries merits a stand-alone chapter,Footnote ² and specific cross-referencing would avoid repetitive introductions to the Commission for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic [OSPAR Commission] and North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission [NEAFC] co-operation, or deep-sea bottom fishing. This would free space for further supporting practice, such as US implementation of its unilateral identification schemes (e.g. concerning Mexico and Italy). In respect of more fundamental questions, a substantive analysis of the status and scope of the freedom of high seas fishing would have been welcome, not least because it is the foundation of numerous tensions discussed.

To conclude, as a forward-looking publication rich in recommendations, it would be remiss to not contextualize this book in the light of subsequent developments. Several developments complement the book's conclusions. Uncertainties on the interaction between fisheries law and the BBNJ Implementing Agreement process remain, despite two draft implementing agreement texts. Furthermore, calls for expanding adaptive area-based management tools continue, including in both literature and the Zero Draft of the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Mexico's latest WTO appeal in US-Tuna II (Mexico) has finished with the Appellant Body upholding the Panel reports, and this subsequently being adopted by the Dispute Settlement Body. Finally, the challenges resulting from the impacts of climate change are, as evident in recent Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO] and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [IPCC] reports, increasingly being acknowledged. Whether the practice of Regional Fisheries Management Organisations or Arrangements [RFMO/As] will evolve to live up to their increasingly difficult object and purposes, unfortunately remains to be seen.