diff --git a/BGL/doc/BGL/PackageDescription.txt b/BGL/doc/BGL/PackageDescription.txt
index c91bfc073ce..0e294531172 100644
--- a/BGL/doc/BGL/PackageDescription.txt
+++ b/BGL/doc/BGL/PackageDescription.txt
@@ -215,6 +215,9 @@ for conversion between models of different `FaceGraph` concepts, etc.
 Most functions are in the header file `<CGAL/boost/graph/helpers.h>`
 */
 
+/// \defgroup PkgBGLIOFct I/O Functions
+/// \ingroup PkgBGL
+
 /*!
 \addtogroup PkgBGLIterators
 
@@ -401,12 +404,18 @@ user might encounter.
 - `CGAL::convert_nef_polyhedron_to_polygon_mesh()`
 - `CGAL::split_graph_into_polylines()`
 
+
 ## Graph Adaptors ##
 - `CGAL::Dual`
 - `CGAL::Face_filtered_graph`
 - `CGAL::Graph_with_descriptor_with_graph`
 - `CGAL::Graph_with_descriptor_with_graph_property_map`
 - `CGAL::Seam_mesh`
+
+## I/O Functions ##
+- `CGAL::read_off()`
+- `CGAL::write_off()`
+
 */
 
 /*!
diff --git a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT.h b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT.h
index cee9d776171..a5d8517940d 100644
--- a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT.h
+++ b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT.h
@@ -208,6 +208,15 @@ degree(typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::vertex
   return sm.valence(v);
 }
 
+
+template <typename K>
+typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::degree_size_type
+degree(typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::face_descriptor f,
+       const OpenMesh::PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT<K>& sm)
+{
+  return sm.valence(f);
+}
+
          
 template <typename K>
 typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::PolyMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::degree_size_type
diff --git a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_TriMesh_ArrayKernelT.h b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_TriMesh_ArrayKernelT.h
index 657a93ea1ba..7f0c3dab3b0 100644
--- a/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_TriMesh_ArrayKernelT.h
+++ b/BGL/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_TriMesh_ArrayKernelT.h
@@ -136,6 +136,15 @@ degree(typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::TriMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::vertex_
   return sm.valence(v);
 }
 
+
+template <typename K>
+typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::TriMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::degree_size_type
+degree(typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::TriMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::face_descriptor f,
+       const OpenMesh::TriMesh_ArrayKernelT<K>& sm)
+{
+  return 3;
+}
+
          
 template <typename K>
 typename boost::graph_traits<OpenMesh::TriMesh_ArrayKernelT<K> >::degree_size_type
diff --git a/BGL/test/BGL/CMakeLists.txt b/BGL/test/BGL/CMakeLists.txt
index f3cb7f17e65..3ab0bb843f4 100644
--- a/BGL/test/BGL/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/BGL/test/BGL/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -89,6 +89,8 @@ create_single_source_cgal_program( "test_Has_member_id.cpp" )
 
 create_single_source_cgal_program( "test_cgal_bgl_named_params.cpp" )
 
+create_single_source_cgal_program( "test_bgl_read_write.cpp" )
+
 create_single_source_cgal_program( "graph_concept_Face_filtered_graph.cpp" )
 
 create_single_source_cgal_program( "test_Face_filtered_graph.cpp" )
diff --git a/BGL/test/BGL/data/prim.off b/BGL/test/BGL/data/prim.off
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..da9ee71038c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/BGL/test/BGL/data/prim.off
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+OFF
+11 7 0
+# vertices
+ -1 -1  1
+ -1  1  1
+  1  1  1
+  1 -1  1
+ -1 -1 -1
+ -1  1 -1
+  1  1 -1
+  1 -1 -1
+  2  2  2
+  3  2  2
+  3  3  3
+  
+# facets
+  3  3 2 1
+  3  3 1 0
+  4  0 1 5 4
+  4  6 5 1 2
+  4  3 7 6 2
+  4  4 7 3 0
+  4  4 5 6 7
+  3  8 9 10
diff --git a/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp b/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dcf1c257e4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/BGL/test/BGL/test_bgl_read_write.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#include <CGAL/Simple_cartesian.h>
+#include <CGAL/Surface_mesh.h>
+#include <CGAL/boost/graph/io.h>
+
+#include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
+
+typedef CGAL::Simple_cartesian<double>                       Kernel;
+typedef Kernel::Point_3                                      Point;
+typedef CGAL::Surface_mesh<Point>                            Mesh;
+
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) 
+{
+  Mesh sm;
+  std::ifstream in((argc>1)?argv[1]:"data/prim.off");
+
+  CGAL::read_off(in,sm);
+
+  CGAL::write_off(std::cout, sm);
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/Polyhedron/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Polyhedron_3.h b/Polyhedron/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Polyhedron_3.h
index 661ceada703..ea5b4fe8c1b 100644
--- a/Polyhedron/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Polyhedron_3.h
+++ b/Polyhedron/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Polyhedron_3.h
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ in_degree(typename boost::graph_traits< CGAL::Polyhedron_3<Gt,I,HDS,A> const>::v
   return v->vertex_degree();
 }
 
+template<class Gt, class I, CGAL_HDS_PARAM_, class A>
+typename boost::graph_traits< CGAL::Polyhedron_3<Gt,I,HDS,A> const>::degree_size_type
+degree(typename boost::graph_traits< CGAL::Polyhedron_3<Gt,I,HDS,A> const>::face_descriptor f
+       , const CGAL::Polyhedron_3<Gt,I,HDS,A>&)
+{
+  return f->facet_degree();
+}
+
 template<class Gt, class I, CGAL_HDS_PARAM_, class A>
 typename boost::graph_traits< CGAL::Polyhedron_3<Gt,I,HDS,A> const>::vertex_descriptor
 source(typename boost::graph_traits< CGAL::Polyhedron_3<Gt,I,HDS,A> const>::edge_descriptor e
diff --git a/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Surface_mesh.h b/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Surface_mesh.h
index df181424ec7..974a29dd34e 100644
--- a/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Surface_mesh.h
+++ b/Surface_mesh/include/CGAL/boost/graph/graph_traits_Surface_mesh.h
@@ -127,6 +127,15 @@ degree(typename boost::graph_traits<CGAL::Surface_mesh<P> >::vertex_descriptor v
   return sm.degree(v);
 }
 
+
+template <typename P>
+typename boost::graph_traits<CGAL::Surface_mesh<P> >::degree_size_type
+degree(typename boost::graph_traits<CGAL::Surface_mesh<P> >::face_descriptor f,
+       const CGAL::Surface_mesh<P>& sm)
+{
+  return sm.degree(f);
+}
+
          
 template <typename P>
 typename boost::graph_traits<CGAL::Surface_mesh<P> >::degree_size_type