The 2025 edition of the Review of Fisheries comes at a critical juncture for international fisheries policy. This year will see the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference take place in Nice as well as continued negotiations at the World Trade Organization on disciplines to eliminate environmentally harmful fisheries subsidies. Now, more than ever, countries require strong evidence to take concrete actions for sustainable fisheries. The OECD Review of Fisheries 2025 can help to provide just that.
The Review presents unique country-level data on the health of fish resources, fisheries management policies, government support to the sector (including subsidies) and the overall performance of the sector. It also features background material on climate change adaptation and mitigation in fisheries, as well as an initial exploration of gender issues in the sector.
This year’s edition highlights that ensuring the sustainability of fish resources remains a challenge. While the majority of fish stocks that are scientifically assessed are healthy (81%), many are not abundant enough to allow for optimal productivity (41%). This means that with optimal management, the sector could contribute even more to the livelihoods of coastal communities and to local and global food systems. Further, the knowledge base to sustainably manage fish stocks remains very limited in some countries. To overcome those limitations, the Review offers concrete suggestions for investment in knowledge-building and better fisheries regulation.
The report also finds that public money could be better spent to support the sector and improve its resilience to shocks, including those caused by climate change. About USD 10 Billion were provided to fisheries, annually, in the countries and territories covered in the report between 2020 and2022, which is just over 10% of the value of landings. But 65% of this support was provided though policies that risk driving unsustainable fishing if fishing is not managed effectively. Such support also risks harming the fishers governments want to help. In other words, there is significant opportunity for governments to better support the sector and the communities that rely on it, while also better protecting Ocean ecosystems, by re-purposing and better targeting support. The Review also offers a framework that governments can use to identify priorities for reform.
Reforms are already taking place. The balance of risks posed by government support has improved significantly since 2010, with a marked reduction in policies that pose the highest risk (e.g. fuel subsidies) in favour of policies where the risk posed is less direct (e.g. income support). OECD Members have notably increased their spending on fisheries management, monitoring, control and surveillance, which is critical both to improve the health of resources and also reduce the risks posed by other types of support policies. This positive trend in spending on fisheries management is likely to also help countries respond to the challenges posed by climate change, which is already having a noticeable impact on fishers and fish resources.
In 2025, countries have a golden opportunity to leverage international processes to secure a sustainable and resilient future for both their fisheries sector and the Ocean ecosystems. However, co-ordinated efforts are needed to ensure these opportunities do not slip through the net. This edition of the Review offers data, evidence and recommendations that policymakers can use to accelerate and amplify reforms that support sustainable and resilient global fisheries.