The main objective of the Southwest Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) is to promote the sustainable utilization of the living marine resources of the Southwest Indian Ocean region, by the proper management and development of the living marine resources, and to address common problems of fisheries management and development faced by the Members of SWIOFC, without prejudice to the sovereign rights of coastal States.
SWIOFC promotes the application of the provisions of the FAO Code of Conduct on Responsible Fisheries, including the precautionary approach and the ecosystem approach to fisheries management.