Our Fishing for the Future report, launched for World Ocean Day 2026, demonstrates how well-managed, sustainable fishing practices are vital to secure fish stocks and ensure long-term resilience.
Progress made but pressures persist
“Despite plenty of progress, pressures on the ocean persist, making it more important than ever that we work together to manage fish stocks sustainably.
The fishery resources on which millions depend for food and livelihoods are productive, yet finite, and ensuring they are used sustainably is essential, not just for ecological reasons, but also for global food security, nutrition and economic resilience.
The priority now is to consolidate and extend this progress, ensuring that fishery resources continue to sustain ecosystems, economies and future generations.”
Manuel Barange
Deputy Director General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation
Overfishing: Oceans and livelihoods at risk
35.5%
of stocks are fished at unsustainable levels
33 million
people employed directly in the wild capture fisheries sector
7.3%
of the global population rely on fisheries for their livelihoods
3.2 billion
people get at least 20% of their daily animal protein from fish
How sustainable fishing supports healthy stocks
A key principle of sustainable fishing is ensuring there are enough fish left in the ocean to reproduce and replenish the population.
Fisheries that achieve certification to the MSC Fisheries Standard must demonstrate that fish stocks are healthy and well-managed, and adjust their catch in response to changes in the stock.
“Through coordinated science, responsible management, and collective determination, we can turn the tide on overfishing, ensuring that our fish stocks not only recover but thrive.”
Senior Tuna Fisheries Outreach Manager at the MSC
Sustainable fishing in numbers
213
improvements made by MSC certified fisheries benefitting stock status and harvest strategies over the last three years
738
fisheries engaged in the MSC program*
20.6%
of all wild marine catch engaged with the MSC**
**As of 2024/25
Case studies
Protecting stocks in practice
Fishing activities differ in scale and gear type, as well as the species they target and the environments in which they operate – and their management must be tailored accordingly.
There’s no one-size-fits-all method to sustainable fishing, but many well-managed fisheries share a common approach to ensure stocks are not overfished.
Gathering key data - such as population size, reproductive rates, and environmental impacts - helps inform sustainable catch limits and other vital management measures.
It also takes collaboration. Policy makers, the fishing industry, scientists and NGOs all have a role to play, united in their goal of securing the long-term health of fish stocks.
Ending the race to fish in the Pacific Northwest
“These examples show how such progress can be achieved across different scales and contexts when science, political commitment and coordination work hand in hand.”
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation
The future of sustainable stocks
Effective fishery management is demanding, but efforts are paying off. This is particularly apparent for large, commercially valuable stocks: according to the UN FAO, 99% of total tuna landings and 85% of Alaska pollock landings are from stocks that are not overfished.
However, challenges remain, especially in developing economies with limited resources, and in heavily fished areas like the Mediterranean and Black Sea where over half (52%) of assessed stocks are overfished.
The MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund has been supporting collaborations that promote wider ocean health since 2019 through grants for research and fishery improvements.
We commit 5% of annual royalties from sales of products carrying the MSC ecolabel to the Fund, together with generous contributions from mission-aligned and philanthropic partners.
In 2026, the Ocean Stewardship Fund awarded £1 million to support sustainable fishing worldwide. This includes five grants to help fisheries develop and implement key measures to ensure fisheries respond to changes in populations to protect the long term health of the stock.
