6.3 State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture – FAO

World review of fisheries and aquaculture 37 THE STATUS OF FISHERY RESOURCES Marine fisheries The world’s marine fisheries expanded continuously to a production peak of 86.4 million tonnes in 1996 but have since exhibited a general declining trend. Global recorded production was 82.6 million tonnes in 2011 and 79.7 million tonnes in 2012. Of the FAO statistical areas, the Northwest Pacific had the highest production with 21.4 million tonnes 26 percent of the global marine catch in 2011, followed by the Southeast Pacific with 12.3 million tonnes 15 percent, the Western Central Pacific with 11.5 million tonnes 14 percent, and the Northeast Atlantic with 8.0 million tonnes 9 percent. The fraction of assessed stocks fished within biologically sustainable levels 6 has exhibited a decreasing trend, declining from 90 percent in 1974 to 71.2 percent in 2011 Figure 13. Thus, in 2011, 28.8 percent of fish stocks were estimated as fished at a biologically unsustainable level 7 and therefore overfished. Of the total number of stocks assessed in 2011, fully fished stocks accounted for 61.3 percent and underfished stocks 9.9 percent separated by the line in Figure 13. The underfished stocks decreased continuously from 1974 to 2011, but the fully fished stocks decreased from 1974 to 1989, and then increased to 61.3 percent in 2011. Correspondingly, the percentage of stocks fished at biologically unsustainable levels increased, especially in the late 1970s and 1980s, from 10 percent in 1974 to 26 percent in 1989. After 1990, the number of stocks fished at unsustainable levels continued to increase, albeit more slowly, and peaked at 32.5 percent in 2008 before declining slightly to 28.8 percent in 2011. By definition, stocks fished at biologically unsustainable levels have an abundance lower than the level that can produce the MSY and are therefore being overfished. These stocks require strict management plans to rebuild stock abundance to full and biologically sustainable productivity. The stocks fished within biologically sustainable levels have abundance at or above the level associated with MSY. Stocks fished at the MSY level produce catches that are at or very close to their maximum sustainable production. Therefore, they have no room for further expansion in catch, and effective management must be in place to sustain their MSY. The stocks with a biomass considerably above the MSY level underfished stocks have been exposed to relatively low fishing pressure and may have some potential to increase their production. In accordance with the Code, effective and cautious management plans should be established before increasing the fishing rate of these underfished stocks in order to prevent overfishing affecting them as it has other stocks. Figure 13 Global trends in the state of world marine ish stocks, 1974–2011 Percentage of stocks assessed 74 78 82 86 90 94 98 02 06 11 Underished Fully ished 10 20 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 30 Overished At biologically unsustainable levels Within biologically sustainable levels Notes: Dark shading = within biologically sustainable levels; light shading = at biologically unsustainable levels. The light line divides the stocks within biologically sustainable levels into two subcategories: fully ished above the line and underished below the line.