Regular reporting and monitoring of fishery and aquaculture production using genetic information, i.e. using information on stocks, breeds, monosex groups, polyploids, products of modern biotechnology and hybrids, would allow aquaculturists to assess which breeds or strains could be most useful for production, and help fishery managers better manage and trace products from capture fisheries. Genetic information would be useful to both aquaculturists and fishery managers in assessing which stocks are under threat or endangered and in traceability requirements for the origin and handling of aquatic food products. However, the capacity and information requirements for incorporating genetic information into national and global statistics are significant and, in many cases, currently prohibitive. A key source of information for this paper was the reports currently being submitted to the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department by countries as part of the process to produce the first report on The State of the World’s Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (SoW AqGR). Through this country-driven process, FAO is receiving information on stocks, varieties, strains and other farmed types that are currently being used in aquaculture and fisheries or that are being actively researched for future use. The country reports will further attempt to include relevant policies and constraints relating to the collection and monitoring of genetic data.