the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Almost 90 percent of global marine fish stocks are now fully exploited or overfished, and wild capture fisheries struggle without sound regulatory frameworks and strong enforcement. The status of marine biodiversity is closely connected with ocean pollution and acidification. About two-thirds of the world’s oceans showed signs of increased human impact between 2008 and 2013. Goal 14 recognizes these broad challenges and seeks the conservation and sustainable use of oceans.

Preserving fish stocks for future generations
Driven by rising populations, higher incomes, and greater awareness of seafood's health benefits, the demand for fish is twice the estimated supply of sustainably caught wild fish.1 Data deficiencies continue to hamper analysis, but aggregates based on data that governments report to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and estimates of under- reporting indicate that total fish catches are declining worldwide (figure 14a).

Goal 14 aims to rapidly rebuild sustainable fish stocks (target 14.4). According to FAO, the proportion of overfished stocks has been increasing over the last four decades.2

The situation is worst in low-­income and middle-­income countries, where weak regulation and enforcement have produced above-­average declines. Illegal fishing constitutes an additional challenge, as it accounts for around 20 percent of the global catch, undermining the efforts of both small and large fishing enterprises to implement sustainable fishing regimes and making it harder for well-­managed fisheries to compete in international markets by undercutting fair pricing.3