It is estimated that more than 1 billion people in the World rely on fish and seafood as their primary source of animal protein. Aquaculture activities also have a large, and increasing, socio-economic relevance for Europe, sustaining coastal and rural economies and providing employment for nearly 85 000 people.
As you can see, the vitality of this sector has a huge impact on the life of thousands of citizens. The way we manage fish stocks today has important consequences to ensure sustainable supply of seafood for generations to come.
Our Map of the week shows the proportion of assessed fish stocks that are overfished (red) and those within safe biological limits (green) in the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) fishing regions of Europe.
Clicking on the map gives you a better idea of the amount of fish stocks assessed within a given region and the size of the catch in that region.
With 89% of global fish stocks overfished¹, and with human consumption and demand for fish and seafood products rising, the sustainable management of fish stocks remains a challenge and a priority for food security in Europe and worldwide.
Data displayed in this map were provided by the European Environmental Agency
This Map of the week was initially published on the website of EMODnet