Book excerpt: Countless millions of fish disappear into water abstractions used for power generation, water supply, irrigation and other uses. As fish stocks become depleted, increasingly, countries around the world see this as a threat to sustainability and are seeking to minimise these losses through legislation and introduction of best practice guidance on fish screening. In March 2011 the Institute of Fisheries Management, in the United Kingdom, organised a two-day conference which attracted international experts from the UK, Europe and the USA. Presenting key papers from the meeting this book will be of interest to academics, students, practitioners and environmental regulators everywhere.