Drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) deployed by tuna purse seine fisheries have been a driving force behind the doubling of global tuna catches since the 1990s. Tuna and other species are attracted to FADs as they drift through the ocean, and satellite buoys and echo sounders allow fishing vessels to efficiently track the precise locations of the largest groups of fish. Universally, the management of drifting FADs is weak, characterised by an absence of responsibility on the part of owners and operators for the impacts of their FADs on ocean ecosystems. Lack of transparency around FAD operations means that no one is even sure how many drifting FADs are deployed around the world, though estimates indicate that the number is well above 100,000. The most recent and reliable data from countries that are Party to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) show that in some parts of the Pacific a FAD can be found drifting every 12km, giving an indication of the pressure that tuna populations are under. An immediate and dramatic overhaul of drifting FAD operations is required. Regulations should be adopted globally to ensure that FADs are constructed in a fashion that minimises their impact on ocean health, and that FAD ownership, operations and tracking are completely transparent, with data made available to the public. Every effort must be made to recover all deployed FADs, and penalties should be paid by operators who fail to achieve this. This document sets out the minimum requirements for the construction, use and management of drifting FADs. If fisheries and their management organisations are unable to agree to their implementation, then the only remaining course of action will be a complete moratorium on the use of drifting FADs.