Global status of groundfish stocks

We review the status of groundfish stocks using published scientific assessments for 349 individual stocks constituting 90% of global groundfish catch. Overall, average stock abundance is increasing and is currently above the level that would produce maximum sustainable yield (MSY). Fishing pressure for cod-like fishes (Gadiformes) and flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes) was, for several decades, on average well above levels associated with MSY, but is now at or below the level expected to produce MSY. In contrast, fishing pressure for rockfishes (Scorpaeniformes) decreased from near MSY-related levels in the mid-1990s, and since the mid-2000s has remained on average at only one third of MSY-related levels. Regions with the most depressed groundfish stocks are the Northwest Atlantic and the Pacific coast of South America, while stocks from the Northeast and Eastern Central Pacific, Northeast Atlantic, Southeast Atlantic and Southwest Pacific tend to have greatest average abundance relative to MSY-based reference points. In the most recent year available for each stock, the catch was only 61% of MSY. Equilibrium yield curves indicate that 76% of global potential groundfish yield could be achieved using current estimates of fishing pressure. 15% of this is lost by excess fishing pressure, 67% results from lower than optimal fishing pressure on healthy stocks and 18% is lost from stocks currently overfished but rebuilding. Thus, there is modest opportunity to increase catch of global groundfish fisheries by reducing overfishing on some stocks, but more by increasing harvest on others. However, there may be other reasons not to fully exploit these stocks.Fil: Hilborn, Ray. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Hively, Daniel J.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Baker Loke, Nicole. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: de Moor, Carryn L.. University Of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Kurota, Hiroyuki. Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency; JapónFil: Kathena, Johannes N.. Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources; NamibiaFil: Mace, Pamela M.. Ministry for Primary Industries; Nueva ZelandaFil: Minto, Cóilín. Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; IrlandaFil: Parma, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Quiroz, Juan-Carlos. Instituto de Fomento Pesquero; ChileFil: Melnychuk, Michael C.. University of Washington; Estados Unido

Effective fisheries management instrumental in improving fish stock status

Marine fish stocks are an important part of the world food system and are particularly important for many of the poorest people of the world. Most existing analyses suggest overfishing is increasing, and there is widespread concern that fish stocks are decreasing throughout most of the world. We assembled trends in abundance and harvest rate of stocks that are scientifically assessed, constituting half of the reported globalmarine fish catch. For these stocks, on average, abundance is increasing and is at proposed target levels. Compared with regions that are intensively managed, regions with less-developed fisheries management have, on average, 3-fold greater harvest rates and half the abundance as assessed stocks. Available evidence suggests that the regions without assessments of abundance have little fisheries management, and stocks are in poor shape. Increased application of area-appropriate fisheries science recommendations and management tools are still needed for sustaining fisheries in places where they are lacking.Fil: Hilborn, Ray. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Amoroso, Ricardo Oscar. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Anderson, Christopher M.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Baum, Julia K.. University of Victoria; CanadáFil: Branch, Trevor A.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Costello, Christopher. University of California at Santa Barbara; Estados UnidosFil: de Moor, Carryn L.. University of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Faraj, Abdelmalek. Einstitut National de Recherche Halieutique; MarruecosFil: Hively, Daniel. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Jensen, Olaf P.. Rutgers University; Estados UnidosFil: Kurota, Hiroyuki. Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency; JapónFil: Little, L. Richard. Csiro Oceans and Atmosphere; AustraliaFil: Mace, Pamela. Ministry for Primary Industries; Nueva ZelandaFil: McClanahan, Tim. Wildlife Conservation Society; Estados UnidosFil: Melnychuk, Michael C.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Minto, Cóilín. Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; IrlandaFil: Osio, Giacomo Chato. Joint Research Centre (JRC); Italia. DG Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission; BélgicaFil: Pons, Maite. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Parma, Ana María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; ArgentinaFil: Segurado, Susana. Sustainable Fisheries Partnership; Estados UnidosFil: Szuwalski, Cody S.. University of California at Santa Barbara; Estados UnidosFil: Wilson, Jono R.. University of California at Santa Barbara; Estados Unidos. The Nature Conservancy; Estados UnidosFil: Ye, Yimin. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; Itali

Recent trends in abundance and fishing pressure of agency-assessed small pelagic fish stocks

Small pelagic fishes are used for human consumption, fishmeal and fish oil. They constitute 25% of global fish catch and have been of considerable conservation concern because of their intermediate position in aquatic food webs, often being a dominant dietary component of marine predators. This paper provides an overview of trends in abundance and fishing pressure on small pelagic fish stocks from single-species scientific assessments that constitute 60% of global small pelagic catch. While most individual stocks have exhibited wide variability in abundance (typical of small pelagics compared with other fish taxa), across stocks there has been remarkable stability in average fishing pressure and biomass since 1970. On average, since 1970, the biomass of assessed small pelagic stocks is estimated to have been slightly above the biomass that would produce maximum sustainable yield, but estimation of this quantity for highly fluctuating stocks is quite uncertain. There were significant differences among assessed regions, with the Mediterranean and Black Sea of greatest concern for high and growing fishing pressure. The 40% of global small pelagic fish catch not covered by single-species quantitative stock assessments since 1970 comes largely from Asia, where catches have continued to increase. At regional levels, the average abundance of assessed small pelagic fish is largely unrelated to average fishing pressure, which we argue results both from the portfolio effect, where numerous stocks fluctuate with little correlation in abundance, and from the short life span of small pelagics coupled with recruitment largely independent of spawning abundance.publishedVersio

Effective fisheries management instrumental in improving fish stock status

Marine fish stocks are an important part of the world food system and are particularly important for many of the poorest people of the world. Most existing analyses suggest overfishing is increasing and there is a widespread concern that fish stocks are decreasing throughout most of the world. We assembled trends in abundance and harvest rate of stocks that are scientifically assessed, constituting half of the reported global marine fish catch. For these stocks, on average, abundance is increasing and at proposed target levels. Compared to regions that are intensively managed, regions with less-developed fisheries management have, on average, 3-fold greater harvest rates and half the abundance as assessed stocks. Available evidence suggests that the regions without assessments of abundance have little fisheries management and stocks are in poor shape. Increased application of area-appropriate fisheries science recommendations and management tools are still needed for sustaining fisheries in places where they are lacking.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource