The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has released its latest review of the state of the world’s marine fisheries resources in what it is calling its most detailed assessment yet, finding many of the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs) set out in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will be out of reach.
This year, the annual report analyzed 2,570 disaggregated fisheries stocks, ramping up its analysis significantly from the 450 aggregated stocks used in previous FAO assessments. FAO said the disaggregation of so many stocks allows for more granular analysis, providing better information to monitor the state of resources.
Analysis of those of those 2,570 stocks was informed by more than 650 experts from over 200 institutions in more than 90 countries, FAO said. The review was based on complementary information up to 2023 and official catch statistics through 2021.
Through its analysis, FAO determined that 64.5 percent of all fishery stocks are currently being exploited within sustainable levels, while 35.5 percent of stocks could be classified as overfished. When weighted by total production, FAO said 77.2 percent of fisheries landings come from biologically sustainable stocks.
Part of that analysis also found a clear gap between marine fisheries areas that are under effective management and those that aren’t.
“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,” FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said. “This report gives governments the evidence they need to shape policy and coordinate coherently.”
The FAO said that where management is effective, such as in the Northeast Pacific and the Southwest Pacific, sustainability rates increase. In the Northeast Pacific, for example, 92.7 percent of stocks are sustainably fished, and those stocks make up an estimated 99 percent of all landings in the region.
The Antarctic, which was included in the report for the first time, has managed ...
