2016FAO Global Fisheries Report: The hardest hit area of ​​global overfishing is here!

　　On July 7, 2016, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) released a report called The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016 (The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016).

　　The latest report of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations pointed out that although significant progress has been made in certain areas, the overall global wild fishery resources have not been improved.

　　In September 2015, the member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The agenda stated that the use of natural resources through fisheries and aquaculture will ensure the sustainable development of society, economy and the environment! Human terrestrial food goes from hunting and gathering to agricultural production, and aquatic food goes from wild fishing to aquaculture! Global aquaculture products in 2014 The total consumption exceeds the total consumption of wild-caught aquatic products for the first time. To meet the growing demand for qualified food fish, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is imperative. Of course, this is challenging.

　　Since the end of 1980, aquaculture production has begun to increase significantly. In 1974, aquaculture production only accounted for 7% of total aquatic product production. By 1994, this share had increased to 24%. In 2014, aquaculture accounted for more than 7% of total aquatic production. The percentage has reached 45%. Looking at the current trend of world aquaculture production increasing year by year, the world aquaculture production will exceed wild catch production in the future.

　　In the past 50 years (1961-2013), the population has grown by an average of 3.2% per year. From the annual per capita consumption of aquatic products in the world in the 1960s from 9.9kg to 14.4kg per capita in the 1990s, to 2013 per capita consumption 19.7kg, it is estimated that it will increase further from 2014 to 2015, exceeding 20kg. The increase in fishery production and consumption of aquatic products is largely driven by aquaculture. As the population grows, the production of aquatic food is increasing, because the increasingly perfect sales channels, the increase in per capita income and the acceleration of urbanization have also stimulated people's consumption of aquatic food. The development of international trade has provided consumers with more choices and has also played an important role.

　　Global aquatic product fishing: According to FAO data, the top ten countries in the world’s marine fishing production are China, Indonesia, the United States, Russia, Japan, Peru, India, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Norway. As a large country with the largest population, China also ranks first in marine fishing output. In 2013, its output was about 13.97 million tons, accounting for 17% of the world's total output. In 2014, its output was about 1,481 tons, accounting for 18% of the world's total output.

　　As the largest country in aquaculture, China is facing many problems. At present, my country’s fishery resources have entered a period of severe decline. With the continuous high-intensity fishing of my country’s offshore resources, wild fish resources have become less and less; the aquaculture industry has developed rapidly. There are more and more inland and offshore fisheries, and the functions of traditional spawning grounds, feeding grounds, and fishing grounds have been destroyed. The density of farmed fish is high and the product quality is low. The environment is also polluted, overloading ecological resources.

　　Areas hit hardest by overfishing: According to the global fishing trend of fishery resources from 1974 to 2013, the level of sustainable fishery resources has shown a clear downward trend, from 90% in 1974 to 68.6% in 2013! As of 2013, Of the world's wild fish resources, 31.4% are unsustainable overfishing. It is expected that this percentage will increase in the future. This is an issue worthy of attention.

　　The Northwest Pacific is still the most prosperous area for capture fisheries, followed by the West and Central Pacific, the Northeast Pacific and the East Indian Ocean. The amount of fishing in the Mediterranean and Black Seas is decreasing year by year, and the overfishing rate in the Mediterranean and Black Seas is about 60%.

　　At the Brussels Global Fisheries and Seafood Expo in April 2016, the European Union (EU) formally proposed MEDFISH4EVER (Mediterranean Fish Resources Rescue Plan), and pointed out that 93% of Mediterranean fishery resources are facing overfishing, and it has reached a very urgent moment! If not With decisive measures, the Mediterranean will also face China's "no fish in the East China Sea" situation! Overfishing should be ended as soon as possible, and the Mediterranean aquaculture industry should be developed to restore the wild fish resources in the Mediterranean.

　　The report predicts that by 2021, aquaculture products will become the main source of aquatic product consumption, exceeding the supply of wild fish for the first time. The report predicts that the output of aquatic products in 2025 will increase by 17% over 2014. Of course, this does not mean that the production of wild fish will increase, which is due to the increase in aquaculture production. And only 1% will come from wild fish, and aquaculture has become the driving force for this growth.

　　Adhere to sustainable fisheries: "The impact of overfishing on the global environment will be incalculable, and the impact on the marine economy will be unsightly. Only through sustainable fisheries management and ending overfishing can we enrich our fishery resources." Mr. Gustavsson, director of the World Ocean Conservation Organization, concluded. The vast ocean is like a treasure chest, giving mankind rich resources. However, it is not inexhaustible and inexhaustible. Everything is alive. If you are greedy to take it now, you may be on the verge of disappearing in the future! Faced with the current form of fishery resources, it is urgent to insist on sustainable fishery. People who have no foresight must have immediate worries. We should accelerate the transformation of development methods, rationally develop and utilize marine fishery resources, strengthen marine environmental protection, promote marine ecological restoration, and pursue the development of modern marine fishery with high output, product safety, resource conservation, and environment-friendly development. the road.