Interactions between various species of marine mammals and fisheries are geographically widespread and of many different kinds. They give rise to a variety of conflicts of interests which appear to have increased in recent decades - or at least become more widely publicized. They generally involve, on the one hand, fishermen, fishing organizations, governmental agencies and international bodies whose prime concern is to sustain or enhance the productivity of commercial fisheries; and on the other hand, individuals and organizations - national and international - concerned with the well-being and preservation of marine mammals.