•Fisheries training should build on both intra- and interdisciplinary knowledge and methods. The developmental goals for fisheries usually have ecological, economic and social elements. These are also present in international treaties and resolutions and reflected in consumer awareness and demands in the largest import markets. In the introductory course, the interaction and roles between different disciplines in the private and public sectors is examined and the international environment explored. Initially, many fellows are impatient and would like to engage sooner in their own area of specialization, but, with time, most come to appreciate this part of the course as a time when they developed a larger view of fisheries and their own role in the larger context.