These course notes intend to provide a broad and generic background to the prosecution of fisheries offences in the IOC Smartfish project region. The challenge of such a task is not only the fact that there are 19 different sets of legislation, but also that the countries have different legal systems. The intention, and hope, is that the countries which have a need for a more comprehensive and country-specific guide to the prosecution of fisheries offences, will use these class notes as a backgr ound and framework to develop a guide.