Current situation, trends, and prospects in world capture fisheries

Following an earlier analysis provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAG 1993a), this paper gives an update of the trends and future perspectives of world fisheries. It describes and comments on worldwide trends in landings, trade, prices, and fleet size. It illustrates the decrease in landings in the last 3 years, the relationship between landings and prices, and the large overcapacity in world fishing fleets. It provides a review of the state of world fishery resources, globally, by region, and by species groups, as well as a brief account of environmental impacts on fisheries. It presents an economic perspective for world fisheries that underlines further the overcapacity and subsidy issues that characterize modern fisheries. In conclusion, this paper discusses management issues including the need for fleer reduction policies and the potential combined effect of overcapacity and international trade on resource depletion in developing exporting countries, and on the overall sustainability of the world fishery system.