The NFDS team has been working with fishery observer programmes for many years; providing observers; training observers and trainers; developing courses and course material; developing programmes and appropriate management structures; designing manuals, agreements and other documentation; implementing and managing programmes; and providing legal and financial advice.  Our knowledge and expertise covers regional and national programmes and the integration of these programmes into the scientific and compliance work of the fishery organisation or agency.   The recent publication by one of the NFDS team; ‘FAO technical paper 414 Guidelines for developing an at-sea observer programme by Sandy Davies’ gives an overview to the types of services we can provide.