Many of world's marine fisheries remain under pressure, says FAO at Nice summit

Nice (France), June 11 Some of the world's marine fisheries are recovering under strong, science-based management, but many others remain under pressure, said a report released on Wednesday at the UN Ocean Conference by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

It shows just how far effective governance can go and how urgently those gains need to be replicated.

The review of the state of world marine fishery resources -- 2025 reports on the biological sustainability of 2,570 individual fish stocks, a major increase from previous editions of the report.

Informed by over 650 experts from more than 200 institutions and over 90 countries, this participatory and inclusive report analyses trends across all FAO marine fishing areas and offers the clearest picture to date of how global marine fisheries are faring.

The report confirms that 64.5 per cent of all fishery stocks are exploited within biologically sustainable levels, with 35.5 per cent of stocks classified as overfished.

When weighted by their production levels, 77.2 per cent of the fisheries landings globally come from biologically sustainable stocks.

In marine fishing areas under effective fisheries management, sustainability rates far exceed the global average.

In the Northeast Pacific, for example, 92.7 per cent of stocks are sustainably fished.

"Effective management remains the most powerful tool for conserving fisheries resources. This review provides an unprecedentedly comprehensive understanding, enabling more informed decision-making based on data," said QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General.

"This report gives governments the evidence they need to shape policy and coordinate coherently."

Nearly two-thirds of marine stocks are fished within biologically sustainable levels globally and in recent years overfishing has been rising by about one per cent per year on average.

In addition, the gap between well-managed and underperforming areas remains stark.

In the Northeast Pacific (Area 67) and Southwest Pacific (Area 81), long-term investment and robust management frameworks are paying off.

Sustainability rates of all individual stocks reach 92.7 per cent and 85 per cent respectively, and these stocks are responsible for an estimated 99 per cent and 95.7 per cent of the 2021 landings in these regions.

In the Antarctic (Areas 48, 58, and 88), 100 per cent of the stocks assessed are fished sustainably.

This is the first time this region has been included in this report, and while small in volume these fisheries demonstrate what is possible with ecosystem-based management and international cooperation.

"Positive outcomes like the Antarctic, Northeast Pacific, and Southwest Pacific reflect the benefit for sustainable fishery management of having strong institutions, consistent and comprehensive monitoring, the integration of scientific evidence into management decisions and the implementation of precautionary and ecosystem-based approaches," said David Agnew, Executive Secretary of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, who contributed to the review.

The Mediterranean and the Black Sea (Area 37) show early signs of recovery.

Although only 35.1 per cent of stocks are sustainably fished, fishing pressure has dropped 30 per cent, and biomass has risen 15 per cent since 2013.

This shows that regional cooperation and national efforts are starting to make a difference.

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