1. Trends in Global Fisheries Likely Causes & Possible Solutions to Overfishing Rainer Froese IFM-GEOMAR Kiel, Germany Online Presentation for International Environmental Policy Potsdam Open University 5 November 2010

2. I gratefully acknowledge permission to use slides from Daniel Pauly, Boris Worm, Ram Myers, and Villy Christensen

3. 3 The Status of Global Fisheries

4. 4 150 Years of Newfoundland Cod Fishery

5. 5 A typical Fishery.. Froese and Kesner-Reyes, ICES 2002

6. 6 Trends in Global Fisheries ? Froese and Kesner-Reyes, ICES 2002

7. 7 Out of Current Stocks in 2048 ? Worm et al., Science 2006 Stocks (%) 2048 ?

8. 8 Froese et al. 2008, Marine Policy 2110 r 2 =0.975 Reality Check in 2008

9. 9 Out of New Stocks in 2020 Froese et al. 2008, Marine Policy

10. 10 (t/km 2 ) Biomass of Table Fish in 1900 Christensen et al. 2003

11. 11 and in 2000…. Christensen et al. 2003

12. 12 Catch per 100 Hooks 1952 - 1980 Blue Marlin Swordfish Bluefin Tuna Dolphinfish

13. 13 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

14. 14 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

15. 15 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

16. 16 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

17. 17 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

18. 18 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

19. 19 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

20. 20 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

21. 21 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

22. 22 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

23. 23 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

24. 24 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

25. 25 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

26. 26 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

27. 27 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

28. 28 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

29. 29 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

30. 30 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

31. 31 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

32. 32 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

33. 33 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

34. 34 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

35. 35 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

36. 36 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

37. 37 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

38. 38 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

39. 39 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

40. 40 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

41. 41 Source: Myers and Worm 2003. Nature 423: 280-283

42. 42 The Failure of Management by Governments Trends from ‘Working Group’ reports by fisheries scientists in government agencies (NMFS, DFO, DIFMAR, IFREMER, etc.), compiled by R. A. Myers.

43. 43 With thanks to Ram Myers and Boris Worm The Failure of Regional Fishing Organizations Recently confirmed by: Cullis-Suzuki & Pauly 2010. Failing the high seas: a global evaluation of regional fisheries management organizations. In press with Marine Policy

44. 44 If Corrected for Over-Reporting, Global Catches are Declining Since 1988 Watson and Pauly (Nature), 2001.

45. 45 In Summary Global fisheries have drastically reduced the size of their target stocks, typically by 90% since 1950 Global catches are declining since the late 1980s; this decline is masked by misreporting to FAO

46. 46 Ecosystem Impacts of Fisheries

47. 47 Impact on the Sea Floor Photos: Dr. K. Sainsbury, CSIRO before after

48. 48 Area in NZ accessed by Scallop Trawlers Before

49. 49 Immediately after first trawling Area in NZ accessed by Scallop Trawlers

50. 50 Three years later (Dayton 1998) Area in NZ accessed by Scallop Trawlers

51. 51 Tracks of Trawls courtesy F. Grassle

52. 52 Shrimp Trawlers from Space QuickBird satellite on 20 February 2003, off the coast of Jiangsu province near the mouth of the Yangtze River;

53. 53 And More Trawling for Shrimps…

54. 54 Not only in China, also in Texas Photo courtesy of Dr. Kyle van Houten (Duke University) Here: shrimp trawlers off the Texas Coast, Gulf of Mexico

55. 55 Crash Course in Fisheries Management

56. 56 What is a Stock? A stock is the exploited part of a population of fishes The total weight of the stock is called biomass (B) SSB is the Spawning Stock Biomass, i.e., the total weight of the adults

57. 57 Sardine Biscay and off Portugal ICES 2010

58. 58 What is MSY? MSY is the Maximum Sustainable Yield MSY is the maximum catch that the stock can deliver on a regular basis Catches above MSY shrink the stock

59. 59 Cod, Eastern Baltic MSY Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

60. 60 What is B MSY ? B MSY is the stock size that can produce the maximum sustainable yield B MSY is the central reference point of the Law of the Sea and UNFSA (1995) with regard to fisheries Stock biomass BDepleted Unfished B MSY Can produce MSYCan not produce MSY

61. 61 Cod, Eastern Baltic B MSY MSY Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

62. 62 What the hell is F? F is the rate by which fish are removed from the stock by fishing (fishing mortality) F can be translated into the percentage of the stock that is taken by the fishery F0.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91.0 %10182633394550555963

63. What is F MSY ? F MSY is the fishing mortality that will lead to B MSY F < F MSY leads to stock sizes above B MSY F > F MSY shrinks the stock below B MSY F MSY 0.110.240.43 %102135 Greenland halibut Cod, herringSandeel Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

64. 64 Cod, Eastern Baltic F MSY B MSY Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

65. 65 Legal Considerations

66. 66 Is Overfishing Legal? The Law of the Sea defines the “biomass that can produce the maximum sustainable yield” (B msy ) as reference point Stocks that are smaller than B msy need to be rebuilt Harvest levels that reduce the stock below B msy are incompatible with the Law of the Sea The USA have adopted this in national law: Fishing with F > F msy is illegal.

67. 67 How about Overfishing in Europe?

68. 68 Biomass of European Stocks Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

69. 69 What is the fishing mortality of European stocks relative to F MSY

70. 70 Fishing Pressure on European Stocks Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

71. 71 What are the landings relative to MSY?

72. 72 Landings and Biomass of European Stocks in 2007 Froese et al., submitted

73. 73 Main Causes for Overfishing Greed Mismanagement Subsidies

74. 74 Fisheries Economics MSY Cost of fishing € €€€€ MEY F pa ? F lim † Economic overfishing Growth overfishing Recruitment overfishing

75. 75 EU Fisheries Management MSY Cost of fishing € €€€€ MEY F pa ? F lim † 68% EU stocks beyond F pa EU 2008: 88% of stocks MEY and MSY overfished Subsidies ?

76. 76 Possible Solutions

77. 77 Solution: Phase out Subsidies Khan et al. (2006)

78. 78 Removing Subsidies Rebuilds Stocks and Increases Catches in the Mid-term MSY Cost of fishing € €€€€ MEY F pa ? F lim †

79. 79 Rebuilding Stocks Pays Off A recent study shows that European fisheries can produce 60% higher catches if they were managed properly and precautionary (at 0.9 MSY) Froese et al. 2010. Generic harvest control rules for European fisheries. Fish and Fisheries

80. 80 0.9 MSY Harvest Control Rule Move stocks here. Landings may then be 60% higher and stocks 4-times larger Froese et al. 2010. Generic harvest control rules for European fisheries. Fish and Fisheries

81. 81 Conclusions Fish stocks are declining worldwide Overfishing is drastically changing the marine ecosystems Overfishing is driven by mismanagement and subsidies Fisheries can produce more food, livelihood, profit and taxes if done properly

82. 82 Thank You Rainer Froese IFM-GEOMAR Kiel, Germany