FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 569

Fisheries and Aquaculture, Policy and Economics Division
FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department
Rome, Italy

Download Full Report  -5.1Mb    Download ZIP version  -2.2Mb

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Rome 2011

ABSTRACT

Marine fisheries are very important to the economy and well-being of coastal communities. Maintaining the long-term prosperity and sustainability of marine fisheries is not only of political and social significance but also of economic and ecological importance. This review presents an updated assessment of the current status of the world’s marine fishery resources. Its aim is to provide the FAO Committee on Fisheries, policy-makers, civil society, fishers and managers of world fishery resources with a comprehensive, objective and global review of the state of the living marine resources of the oceans. The review was based mainly on official catch statistics up until 2009 and relevant stock assessment and other complementary information available until 2010. This review consists of four major components. The first is a global overview of marine fishery production and the state of marine fish resources. The second part is divided into chapters that summarize and compile the information available for each FAO major fishing area, together with a discussion of the major trends and changes that have occurred with the main fishery resources exploited in each area and comments on the stock assessment work undertaken in support of fisheries management in each region. The third section is allocated to special topics that attract great attention in the international community, including tuna and tuna-like species, sharks, the Pacific islands region, deep-sea fisheries, and fisheries and long-term climate variability. The final part lists all the tables that provide details about historical and recent catches for the major marine resources and, where possible, assessments of the most current state of exploitation of fish stocks.

FAO Review of the state of world marine fishery resources. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper No. 569. Rome, FAO. 2011. 334 pp.

Table of Contents

Preparation of this document Abstract List of figures, tables and boxes Acknowledgements Abbreviations and acronyms	[206Kb]
Part A – Global overview Global overview of marine fishery resources	[3.3Mb]
Part B – Regional reviews B1. Northwest Atlantic – FAO Statistical Area B2. Northeast Atlantic – FAO Statistical Area B3. Western Central Atlantic – FAO Statistical Area B4. Eastern Central Atlantic – FAO Statistical Area B5. Mediterranean and Black Sea – FAO Statistical Area B6. Southwest Atlantic – FAO Statistical Area B7. Southeast Atlantic – FAO Statistical Area B8. Western Indian Ocean – FAO Statistical Area B9. Eastern Indian Ocean – FAO Statistical Area B10. Northwest Pacific – FAO Statistical Area B11. Northeast Pacific – FAO Statistical Area B12. Western Central Pacific – FAO Statistical Area B13. Eastern Central Pacific – FAO Statistical Area B14. Southwest Pacific – FAO Statistical Area B15. Southeast Pacific – FAO Statistical Area B16. Southern Ocean – FAO Statistical Areas
Part C – Special topics
Part D – Marine resources tables
Appendix – Assessment methodology	[155Kb]

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of FAO.

ISBN 978-92-5-107023-9

All rights reserved. FAO encourages reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product. Non-commercial uses will be authorized free of charge, upon request. Reproduction for resale or other commercial purposes, including educational purposes, may incur fees. Applications for permission to reproduce or disseminate FAO copyright materials, and all queries concerning rights and licences, should be addressed by e-mail to [email protected] or to the Chief, Publishing Policy and Support Branch, Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Rome, Italy.