which later turned out to be non-existent. The incorrect fisheries advice led to
continued too high catches, preventing real recovery. Source: ICES 2023
[https://ices-library.figshare.com/ndownloader/files/42582397]
Experts Call for More Realistic Stock Assessments
The state of fish stocks in the world’s oceans is worse than previously thought. While overfishing has long been blamed on fisheries policies setting catch limits higher than scientific recommendations, a new study from four Australian research institutions reveals that even those scientific recommendations have often been too optimistic. The result? Far more global fish stocks are overfished or have collapsed than we realized. Dr Rainer Froese from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and Dr Daniel Pauly from the University of British Columbia have provided their insights on the study. In their Perspective Paper, published today in the journal Science alongside the new study, the two fisheries experts call for simpler yet more accurate models and, when in doubt, a more conservative approach to stock assessments.
Globally, many fish stocks are either threatened by overfishing or have already collapsed. One key reason for this devastating trend is that policymakers often ignored the maximum catch limits calculated by scientists, which were intended to be strict thresholds to protect stocks. But now it has become clear that even these scientific recommendations were often too high.
[…]
The authors therefore call for a revision of current stock assessment models. They advocate simpler, more realistic models based on ecological principles. They also call for greater use of the precautionary principle: when in doubt, conservative estimates should be used to protect stocks. “In essence, sustainable fishing is simple,” says Dr Rainer Froese. “Less fish biomass should be taken than is regrown.” Fish must be allowed to reproduce before they are caught, environmentally friendly fishing gear must be used and protected zones must be established. Important food chains must be preserved by reducing catches of forage fish such as anchovies, sardines, krill or herring –these are the principles of ecosystem-based sustainable fishing. Froese adds: “Four of these five principles can be implemented even without knowledge of stock sizes.”
The Perspective Paper “Taking stock of global fisheries. Current stock assessment models overestimate productivity and recovery trajectory” was published in Science, doi: 10.1126/science.adr5487
