Although fisheries sustainability in the Mediterranean and Black Sea remains a source of concern, the percentage of overfished stocks has dropped to its lowest level in a decade, a milestone that coincides with aquaculture’s rapid expansion as a major source of aquatic foods in the region, according to a report released by FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).
The 2025 State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries (SoMFi) report, produced with contributions from more than 700 regional experts, demonstrates that strong cooperation and evidence-based management are paying off. Fishing pressure has been cut by half over the past ten years and key stocks are recovering.
At the same time, marine and brackish aquaculture now accounts for more than 45%of aquatic food production, reaching 940,000 tonnes in 2023. Together, fisheries and aquaculture and their value chain produced 2.06 million tonnes of aquatic foods, generated $21.5 billion and supported 1.17 million jobs.
‘Stocks are not yet where we would like them to be, but they are beginning to recover thanks to science-driven management action and strong stakeholder engagement, while aquaculture, if done responsibly, is proving it can help meet future demand for aquatic foods,’ said FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Manuel Barange.
‘Maintaining these efforts will be crucial to conserve ecosystems, strengthen livelihoods and ensure the region’s food security through what we call a Blue Transformation.’
The report assesses 120 stocks across the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, indicating that between 2013 and 2023, fishing mortality fell sharply while the biomass of assessed commercial species increased by 25%, attributed to stronger, evidence-based fisheries management.
Red mullet and giant red shrimp show clear reductions in fishing mortality. Common sole in the Adriatic has seen a 42% drop in fishing mortality and a 64% rise in biomass since 2019. Turbot in the Black Sea has shown an 86% reduction in fishing mortality and a 310% increase in biomass since 2013.
However, sardine stocks have been subjected to sustained overexploitation over time and still show signs of biomass depletion. European hake, with high variability across subregions, shows modest signs of biomass recovery despite a 38% decrease in fishing mortality since 2015.
‘These results build on regional commitments such as the MedFish4Ever and the Sofia Declarations, and reflect countries’ strong commitment to sustainability,’ said Milena Mihaylova, Head of Unit for Fisheries Management in the Mediterranean and Black Sea at the European Commission.
‘But we cannot assume the work is done. Greater collaboration and continuous action are still needed to ensure long-term sustainability, also at the social and economic levels.’
Despite this progress, 52% of assessed stocks in the region are considered as overfished. This is a major improvement from a decade ago, when 87% of stocks were overfished.
Including freshwater production, aquaculture generates $9.3 billion and produces nearly 3 million tonnes of aquatic food. Marine and brackish water aquaculture alone is worth $5.2 billion, directly employing 113,000 people. Production is highly concentrated in a small number of species: just 11 account for 99% of total output, led by gilthead seabream (34.5% ) and European seabass (29.7%).
Eight countries produce 95.5% of the region’s farmed aquatic food, with Türkiye (400,000 tonnes), Egypt (147,000 tonnes) and Greece (139,000 tonnes) in the lead. As a result, aquaculture has become the region’s fastest-expanding source of aquatic food and a growing pillar of food security and coastal livelihoods.
‘As aquaculture continues to grow, a coordinated approach is essential to ensure that the sector remains sustainable, productive, competitive and profitable. At the same time, it should preserve ecological services, ensure animal welfare and contribute to inclusive socioeconomic development in coastal communities,’ said Ahmet Seremed, Chairman of the Board of the Central Union of Aquaculture .
