Mediterranean, Black Sea overfishing hits 10-year low: UN report

ISTANBUL

Overfishing in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea has dropped to its lowest level in 10 years, according to a new biennial report released Friday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

“Although fisheries sustainability in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea remains a source of concern, the percentage of overfished stocks has dropped to its lowest level in a decade, a milestone that coincides with aquaculture’s rapid expansion as a major source of aquatic foods in the region,” said the report, issued by FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

The 2025 State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries (SoMFi) report assessed 120 stocks from 2013 to 2023 and found that fishing mortality has fallen sharply, while the biomass of evaluated commercial species increased by 25 %.

According to the report, fishing pressure has halved over the past decade, enabling several key stocks to begin recovering.

It said the share of assessed stocks that are overfished has dropped to 52%, down from 87% ten years ago — a significant improvement, though still well above levels needed for a healthy ecosystem.

The report also noted that marine and brackish aquaculture now accounts for more than 45% of aquatic food output in the region, reaching 940,000 tonnes in 2023. Combined, fisheries and aquaculture generated 2.06 million tonnes of aquatic foods.

“Stocks are not yet where we would like them to be, but they are beginning to recover thanks to science-driven management action and strong stakeholder engagement, while aquaculture, if done responsibly, is proving it can help meet future demand for aquatic foods,” said Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

When freshwater production is included, aquaculture in the region produces nearly 3 million tonnes of aquatic food and generates $9.3 billion, the report added.

"Only eight countries produce 95.5 percent of the region's farmed aquatic food, with Türkiye (400 000 tonnes), Egypt (147 000 tonnes) and Greece (139 000 tonnes) in the lead. As a result, aquaculture has become the region's fastest-expanding source of aquatic food and a growing pillar of food security and coastal livelihoods," it further underscored.