The mission for this tool, as well as its overriding goal, is "Solving problems in capture fisheries and aquaculture using GIS, remote sensing and mapping". Specifically, the objectives of GISFish are to:

- Improve the sustainability of aquaculture and capture fisheries by promoting the use of GIS, remote sensing and mapping;

- Facilitate the use of GIS, remote sensing, and mapping through easy access to comprehensive information on applications and training opportunities.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Management Division at FAO is actively promoting the use of spatial analytical tools and geo-referenced information for the analysis of Fisheries and Aquaculture data and in the development of Fisheries and Aquaculture management.

GISFish is a "one stop" site from which to obtain the global experience on Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing and Mapping as applied to Fisheries and Aquaculture.

GISFish sets out the issues in Fisheries and Aquaculture, and demonstrates the benefits of using GIS, remote sensing and mapping to resolve them. The global experience provided by GISFish is captured in Issues, Publications, Activities, Training, Data and Tools, Contacts,Discussions, News and events.

GISFish is broadly divided into two domains, GISFish Aquaculture and GISFish Capture Fisheries with a wide range of material and information that is shared between the two domains to address the role of GIS to support the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) and the Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture (EAF).