Sardine stocks quadruple while bottom‑trawl fishing threatens thousands of marine species

A new Marine Stewardship Council report released on World Oceans Day shows that the adult sardine population has almost quadrupled since 2015, crediting tighter scientific catch limits and stronger management measures. The recovery extends to other species such as Atlantic bluefin tuna and hake, which have also rebounded after international recovery plans. FAO fisheries director Manuel Barange said the cases demonstrate that over‑exploitation can be reversed with political commitment and solid science.

In a separate study, researchers from the University of British Columbia compiled the first global inventory of fish caught in bottom‑trawl gear, identifying more than 3,000 species from records dating 1895‑2021. One in seven of the listed species is threatened or near‑threatened on the IUCN Red List, and a quarter lack sufficient data for assessment. "This is the clearest picture we have of the breadth of bottom‑trawl fishing," said lead author Sarah Foster. Co‑author Syd Ascione warned that the practice "drags entire branches of the tree of marine life" and that about 95% of the catch is non‑target, with 64% not returned to the sea. The authors call for precautionary bans in protected marine areas.