Medidas de Gestao das Pescarias Marinhas e Aquicultura 2019 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 | Page 59

THE STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 2018
the basis for many fisheries across the region,
both small-scale and industrial. Catches for this
species in 2015 were about 200 000 tonnes, and
average catches in the last five years have seen a
decline as compared to the previous five years.
Some of the stocks of this species have been
considered overfished. The demersal resources
are to a large extent fully sustainably fished in
most of the area. Overall, 57 percent of the stocks
assessed were considered to be within
biologically sustainable levels in the Eastern
Central Atlantic.
Tuna stocks are generally well assessed, and the
status is unknown or ver y poorly known for ver y
few stocks of the principal tuna species. Market
demand for tuna is still high, and tuna fishing
f leets continue to have significant overcapacit y.
Effective management, including the
implementation of har vest control rules, is
needed to restore the overfished stocks.
Status and trends by fishing area
The Northwest Pacific has the highest production
among FAO fishing areas. Its total catch
f luctuated between 17 million and 24 million
tonnes in the 1980s and 1990s, and was about
22.0 million tonnes in 2015. Pelagic and demersal
species are the most abundant resources in this
area. Historically, the Japanese pilchard and
Alaska pollock were the most productive species,
with peaks of 5.4 million in 1988 and 5.1 million
tonnes in 1986, respectively, but their catches
have declined significantly over the last 25 years.
The landings of squids, cuttlefishes, octopuses
and shrimps have increased greatly since 1990. In
2015, Japanese anchov y (Engraulis japonicus) was
overfished, and two stocks of Alaska pollock
were fully sustainably fished and another one
was overfished. Overall, about 74 percent of the
assessed stocks were fished within biologically
sustainable levels in the Northwest Pacific.
In the Southwest Atlantic, total catches have
f luctuated between 1.8 million and 2.6 million
tonnes (after a period of increase that ended in
the mid-1980s), reaching 2.4 million tonnes in
2015. The most important species in terms of
landings is the Argentine shortfin squid (Illex
argentinus); about 1.0 million tonnes were
produced in 2015, a historical maximum, and the
species is considered maximally sustainably
fished. Argentine hake (Merluccius hubbsi) is also
an important species, producing about 336 000
tonnes in 2015, and is considered overfished with
signs of recover y. Argentine red shrimp (Pleoticus
muelleri) has also shown record catches, reaching
144 000 tonnes in 2015, and is considered fished
within biologically sustainable levels. In this
area, 42 percent of the assessed stocks were
fished within biologically sustainable levels.
Catches in the Eastern Central Pacific fluctuated
between 1.5 and 2.0 million tonnes from 2002 to
2015. Landings in this area include important stocks
of California pilchard (Sardinops caeruleus), anchovy
(Engraulis mordax), Pacific jack mackerel (Trachurus
symmetricus), squids and prawns. Overfishing
currently affects selected coastal resources of high
value, such as groupers and shrimps. In this area 87
percent of the assessed fish stocks were fished at
biologically sustainable levels in 2015, a slight
improvement in comparison with 2013.
Northeast Pacific landings in 2015 remained at the
same level as in 2013, about 3.2 million tonnes,
with no significant changes seen in species
composition of the catches. Alaska pollock
remained the most abundant species, representing
about 40 percent of the total landings. Pacific cod
(Gadus microcephalus), hakes and soles are also
large contributors to the catches. Overall, 86
percent of the assessed stocks were fished within
biologically sustainable levels.
The Eastern Central Atlantic has seen an overall
increasing trend in catches, but with f luctuations
since the mid-1970s, reaching 4.3 million tonnes
in 2015. Sardine (Sardina pilchardus) is the single
most important species, with reported catches of
close to 1 million tonnes per year from 2004 to
2015. A recent assessment indicates that the
sardine stocks have been underfished. Another
important small pelagic species in this area is the
round sardinella (Sardinella aurita), which forms
In the Northeast Atlantic, total catches reached a
peak of 13 million tonnes in 1976. Then, after a
drop, they recovered between 1990 and 2000,
declined to 8 million tonnes in 2012, and again
recovered slightly to 9.1 million tonnes in 2015.
Fishing mortality has been reduced for cod, hake
and haddock stocks, with recovery plans in place
for the major stocks of these species; their total
catch recovered from 2.0 million tonnes in 2011 to
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