In the first phase, the project, "Promotion of Responsible Fisheries", has cooperated closely with three GIZ fisheries projects/programmes in the Philippines, in Sri Lanka and Burkina Faso. The cooperation centred on the joint compilation and dissemination of lessons learnt from completed projects (Burkina Faso) or projects at the phasing-out stage (Sri Lanka) and on developing the training module "Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) for Decision-Makers" (Philippines).

The series of English-language publications on lessons learned draws on certain articles in the CCRF and makes recommendations on fisheries management and aquaculture development. The booklets were circulated internationally, and in its next phase the project will work with partners to translate the information into actions taken at target group and decision-making level.

In cooperation with the GIZ project Visayan Sea (Philippines) and a local Philippine government organisation, the project is developing the training module CCRF for Decision-Makers. The training programme supports the introduction of sustainable fisheries management and helps communicate the Code to people employed in the fisheries sector.

The project has held various events and consultations for information exchange, including a regional workshop on inland fisheries in Burkina Faso (May 2003), a workshop on aquaculture in development cooperation (January 2004), a panel of experts on the ornamental fish trade (April 2004) and international CCRF consultations in Bonn (June 2004).

The Sector project assists the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in the debate on fisheries policy and in technical aspects of fisheries, and advises the Federal Ministry for Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture (BMVEL) on development policy issues in consultation with BMZ. Thanks to its participation in national and international committees on fisheries policy (e.g. the EU Advisors Meeting), the project has been able to help disseminate CCRF.