Seafood on the market in Italy. Mediterranean and Black Seas: Overfishing levels fall to decade low, but concerns remain Economic development
The share of overexploited fish species in the Mediterranean and Black Seas has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. However, threats to the sustainability of these waters remain. The Food and Agriculture Organization’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean Sea said in a report released today (FAO).
Aquaculture – that is, the commercial farming and rearing of aquatic organisms – is rapidly expanding and becoming mainstream source of marine bioresources in the region.
Since 2013, GC member countries have adopted 11 management plans, created 11 fishing closures and initiated 18 research programs and pilot projects. However, 52 percent of assessed stocks remain overexploited. This is better than the 87 percent figure ten years ago, but is still too high for the sustainable state of marine ecosystems, experts say.
At the same time, the demand for seafood in the region will be grow – due to population growth and changes in consumer preferences. To maintain current levels of per capita consumption, production must grow by 14 to 29 percent by 2050, the report’s authors emphasize. – the largest to date – covering 120 marine species in the region. It shows that close collaboration and science-based management are already delivering results. Over ten years, the fishing pressure has been halved, and a number of key stocks have begun to recover.
From 2013 to 2023, marine mortality from fishing fell sharply, and the biomass of commercially important species increased by 25 percent, thanks to strengthened science-based management measures. The report documents significant progress in a number of key species. For example, red mullet and deepwater red shrimp have shown sustained declines in fishing mortality. Species under specialized management plans are recovering more quickly. For example, the European soleya in the Adriatic showed a 42 percent decline in mortality and a 64 percent increase in biomass from 2019. The Black Sea Kalkan showed a decline 86 percent in mortality and 310 percent in biomass since 2013.
At the same time, sardines continue to be overexploited. European hake, despite a 38% decline in fishing mortality since 2015, is showing only modest signs of recovery.
Aquaculture as a driver of growth
For the first time, the report includes a detailed analysis of the state of aquaculture in the region. Including freshwater species, the sector provides nearly 3 million tons of production and $9.3 billion in revenues. Marine and brackish water aquaculture performance – 5.2 billion dollars and 113 thousand jobs.
Marine and brackish water aquaculture provides over 45 percent of aquatic biological resources, reaching 940 thousand tons of production in 2023. Collectively, fisheries, aquaculture and associated value chains supported 2.06 million tonnes of production, $21.5 billion in revenues and 1.17 million jobs in 2023 region.
At the same time, only 11 species provide 99 percent of production volumes, of which 34.5 percent are bream, 29.7 percent are sea bass (sea bass). Eight countries produce 95.5 percent of all production: Turkey (400 thousand tons), Egypt (147 thousand tons) and Greece (139 thousand tons) are in the lead.