The ocean is a complex ecosystem that nourishes populations and supports livelihoods. To ensure this sustainability, it must be managed effectively.
Evidence confirms that science-based fisheries management produces results. The Study on the State of Global Marine Fisheries Resources – 2025, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), highlights concrete examples of the impact of sustainable fisheries management.
This article explores three outstanding case studies: Antarctica, where fisheries are a model of global good practice; tuna fishing, once emblematic of resource depletion, but which is now experiencing a significant recovery; and the Mediterranean, where coordinated reforms are beginning to rebuild marine ecosystems that have long been put to the test. Together, these examples illustrate what is possible when countries commit to managing their marine resources responsibly.
Antarctic waters: a global reference for sustainable fishing
Antarctica is one of the most striking examples of effective and scientific fisheries management, where 100% of the assessed stocks are exploited within biologically sustainable limits.
In Antarctic waters, countries operate under the aegis of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Fauna and Flora – CCAMLR, a transparent framework that favors ecosystem management, international cooperation and rigorous compliance systems.
« Countries have agreed on precautionary catch limits, implemented surveillance programs and shut down fisheries for which data are insufficient to prevent overexploitation even before it begins, » said Rishi Sharma, lead author of the Global Marine Fisheries Resources State Study – 2025.
Species such as krill, icefish and legin are managed sustainably, despite the growth of markets and interest in fishing in Antarctica.
Tuna fishing, once emblematic of exhaustion, is currently experiencing a notable reconstruction.
From overexploitation to excellence: how tuna stocks have rebounded
Tuna fishing has long been seen as a symbol of overexploitation due to growing consumer demand and fragmented management systems that struggled to reduce fishing pressure. In recent years, however, it has undergone a radical change.
Today, 87% of tuna stocks are sustainable and 99% of global tuna catches come from well-managed sources.
This turnaround is due to effective management by the five Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (GPOs), including measures such as science-based quotas, improved monitoring and control, the phase-out of harmful fishing gear and the adoption of fisheries strategies aligned with ecosystem objectives. These fishing strategies allow managers, fishing fleets and other stakeholders, following the advice of scientists, to agree on the rules before launching nets or lines.
Two-thirds of tuna catches come from the Pacific Ocean and the Central and Western Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has played a key role in ensuring the sustainable management of major commercial tuna species. »The Fisheries Commission’s consensual approach to the Central and Western Pacific ensures that management measures meet the needs of its members, all different, » said Rhea Moss-Christian, Executive Director of the WCPFC. The sixth stock, Pacific Bluefin Tuna, is reconstituted through a targeted replenishment plan developed jointly by members of the WCPFC and the CITT.
Progress in the Mediterranean: a region begins to rebuild its fisheries
Overfishing was once widespread in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, but effective management is now beginning to reverse the trend.
With only 35.1% of stocks classified as biologically sustainable in 2021 and 56.9% of landings coming from sustainable stocks, there is clearly a long way to go to replicate the successes of other regions.
But the evidence of positive results is multiplying. Since 2013, fishing pressure has decreased by 30% and fish biomass has increased by 15%. Some stocks, such as the common sole in the Adriatic, are now being exploited sustainably after a reduction of more than 70% in fishing pressure.
These results are the result of a series of targeted reforms supported by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean. These include the adoption of 11 multi-year management plans targeting species and priority areas, the establishment of 11 regulated fishing areas, spatial closures and restrictions on fishing gear, joint international inspections and enhanced scientific assessments. « These actions show that even historically overexploited waters can be reconstituted when countries coordinate their efforts and follow scientific data, » said Manuel Barange, Deputy Director General of FAO and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division.
Targeted reforms, scientific management and coordinated management plans show the first results in a region where overfishing remains widespread.
Blue transformation
The case studies above clearly illustrate a trend: when countries use scientific knowledge and data, coordinate their efforts and implement robust management systems, fish populations can rebuild and thrive.
They also demonstrate that sustainable fishing is possible and provide a concrete roadmap for about a third of the world’s fish stocks that remain overexploited.
This is the vision of the FAO’s blue transformation: to ensure that 100% of marine resources are managed in a sustainable way, for the benefit of populations and the planet.
source : fao.org
