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Deep-sea species are highly vulnerable and under significant pressure, with only 29 per cent of their stocks being sustainably fished. This alarming statistic comes from a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) titled Review of the state of world marine fishery resources — 2025, released at the United Nations Ocean Conference 3 (UNOC3) in Nice, France.
The report highlighted the unique challenges deep-sea species pose for sustainable exploitation, including late maturation, slow growth, long life expectancies, low natural mortality rates, and infrequent spawning. FAO defines a stock as ‘overfished’ if its biomass is below 80 per cent of the biomass that allows for maximum sustainable yield (MSY) — the level of fish catch that can be harvested indefinitely without depleting the stock, according to the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute in Kochi.
Highly migratory sharks are also at risk, with over half of their stocks considered unsustainable. These sharks are often caught as bycatch in tuna fisheries. Of the 23 shark stocks covering seven species examined, 43.5 per cent were unsustainably fished. The highest annual shark catches are concentrated in the tropics: the western central Pacific, eastern Indian Ocean, and western Indian Ocean.
The report emphasised that “the world’s shark and ray fisheries have been prone to overexploitation due to fishing pressure, biological characteristics and associated lower resilience, requiring precautionary management.” It further noted that a lack of consistent international management continues to hinder recovery efforts for these species.
For the report, FAO assessed 2,570 stocks globally, with over 600 experts from more than 200 institutions and 90 countries participating in the analysis. Manuel Barange, assistant director-general and director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, FAO, stated at a press briefing on day three of UNOC3 that FAO produces this biennial report to “gather knowledge as well as foster communication and awareness on the trends,” which can help countries take action at national and regional levels.
The analysis revealed that globally 64.5 per cent of all fishery stocks are exploited within biologically sustainable levels, while 35.5 per cent are overfished.
Barange stressed that effective management remains the best sustainability measure. He attributed success of tuna stocks in high seas to effective regional management practices. Some 87 per cent of assessed stocks of tuna and tuna-like species are sustainable.
Waters beyond the exclusive economic zones and the outer edge of a coastal state’s continental shelf constitutes a marine area beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) or high seas. States manage compliance of vessels in ABNJ directly or through regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs).
“RFMOs have good data collection systems, observation systems and cameras on board, good landing (fish that are caught, brought to shore) information, and compliance measures in place,” he added.
Further, the sustainability rates were higher in areas that have strong management systems in place, such as the northeast Pacific and southwest Pacific, than in others.
Regions with strong management systems, such as the northeast Pacific and southwest Pacific, exhibit higher sustainability rates. However, not all regions are performing equally well. In the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and the southeastern Pacific, only about 35.1 per cent and 46.4 per cent of fish stocks, respectively, are sustainably exploited.
The report also highlighted regions with limited data, which hinders a complete understanding of the status of their fish stocks. For example, while the eastern Indian Ocean is estimated to have around 72.7 per cent of stocks sustainably exploited, this needs careful interpretation, as some vulnerable species may be excluded due to data unavailability.
“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,” QU Dongyu, director-general of FAO, said in a statement. “This report gives governments the evidence they need to shape policy and coordinate coherently.”