‘A wake-up call’: Nearly half of key fisheries for marine ingredients now poorly managed, SFP report warns

Group calls for stronger industry action in latest reduction fisheries report

The sustainability performance of key fisheries used to produce marine ingredients has declined significantly, according to a report released by Sustainable Fisheries Partnership (SFP).

For the first time since 2015, almost half of the fisheries assessed in the report – 11 out of 22, accounting for 41 percent of total volume – dropped into the “poorly managed” category.

While two fisheries showed improvement, six declined and a new evaluation of four Indian fisheries uncovered serious challenges, including a lack of data sufficient for full assessment.

“We’ve seen a steady decline in global performance of key fisheries since 2018, and unfortunately, this year the picture got worse,” said Dave Martin, SFP global supply chains director. “Where in the past it was largely persistent management issues that kept fisheries out of the top categories, for 2024, we see drops in the current and/or future stock health for several fisheries.

The 2024 report is the 15^th edition of SFP’s annual assessment, which evaluates key fisheries using FishSource, the organization’s public database of sustainability scores. This year’s analysis includes expanded coverage from FishSource Environment and Biodiversity, which assesses not only fisheries management but also the broader ecological impacts, such as bycatch and effects on surrounding ecosystems.

“These fisheries experience natural fluctuations, and timely management responses will improve stock health,” said Martin. “But the results highlight the critical need for seafood supply chains to strengthen engagement in fisheries management to ensure healthy fisheries and ecosystems and meet growing customer and consumer demands for responsible seafood.”

A review of data from the past 15 years reveals persistent, global challenges facing small pelagic fisheries. These include limited data collection, insufficient research on non-target species and ecosystem interactions, and a lack of effective transboundary management for fish stocks shared between nations. According to SFP, these issues highlight the pressing need for stronger industry engagement with regulators and other key stakeholders to improve the health and sustainability of these critical fisheries.

“The latest Reduction Fisheries Report is a wake-up call for the industry on the need for following the management of the most relevant fisheries used for feed production,” said Jorge Diaz Salinas, sustainability and communications director at Skretting. “The information disclosed here will allow us to engage more closely with our supply chain to identify and implement actions aimed at ensuring that our operations contribute to healthy fisheries and ecosystems.”

Read the full report here.