More than a third of the fish stocks around the world are being overfished and the problem is particularly acute in developing countries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report on Monday.
The FAO said in a biennial report that tackling the issue would require several measures including stronger political will and improved monitoring as fish stocks in areas with less-developed management were in poor shape.
“While developed countries are improving the way they manage their fisheries, developing countries face a worsening situation,” the FAO said.
In 2017, 34.2% of the fish stocks of the world’s marine fisheries were classified as overfished, a “continuous increasing trend” since 1974 when it stood at just 10%.
Overfishing depletes stocks at a rate that the species cannot replenish and so leads to lower fish populations and reduced future production.
The FAO said less intense management was common in many developing nations and was fuelled partly by limited management and governance capacities.
“We notice that sustainability is particularly difficult in places where hunger, poverty and conflict exist, but there is no alternative to sustainable solutions,” the agency said.
Reuters / FAO
