Overfishing in the Mediterranean and Black Sea falls to lowest level in a decade

Overfishing in the Mediterranean and Black Sea falls to lowest level in a decade. New FAO-GFCM report also includes for the first time data on the region’s marine aquaculture sector. The percentage of overfished stocks in the Mediterranean and Black Sea has fallen below 60 percent for the first time, following a decreasing trend that started a decade ago, according to a report launched yesterday. While overfishing remains a concern, The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2023 report (SoMFi 2023) records a drop of 15 percent in this figure over the last year, an improvement consistent with a continuous reduction in fishing pressure, which has fallen by 31 percent since 2012. The report is the flagship publication of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). For the first time, this year’s report also includes data on the region’s marine aquaculture sector. Fisheries and marine ...