In early 2001, Asian Development Bank (ADB) expressed a growing concern that the importance of fisheries to Pacific Island economies was not fully appreciated by the countries of the region or by the donor community. In discussions with Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), ADB developed a concept for a study to improve the accuracy of the estimates of the contribution of fisheries to national economies. The World Bank agreed later to participate in this joint activity.