Rebuilding Depleted Fish Stocks: Paradigms, Challenges, and Pathways to Sustainability

Chukwu. K. O.; Deekae S. N

doi:10.56201/ijaes.vol.12.no9.2026.pg101.104

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Rebuilding Depleted Fish Stocks: Paradigms, Challenges, and Pathways to Sustainability

Chukwu. K. O. and Deekae S. N

Abstract

The overexploitation of marine resources has led to a global crisis in fisheries, with a significant proportion of stocks classified as depleted or overfished. This article synthesizes current research on rebuilding depleted fish stocks, evaluating the biological, economic, and governance frameworks essential for recovery. Drawing on longitudinal data and recent meta-analyses, the study identifies that while approximately 63% of assessed stocks require rebuilding, successful recovery is possible through the rigorous application of harvest control rules and ecosystem- based management. However, the efficacy of these measures is increasingly challenged by anthropogenic climate change, which alters stock productivity and shifts species distributions. The article explores the "good, bad, and ugly" of historical rebuilding plans, the economic high- return investment nature of conservation, and the necessity of inclusive governance models. It concludes that achieving a sustainable future for global fisheries requires a synergy between limited global warming (1.5°C) and adaptive, science-based management that accounts for both ecological resilience and the socio-economic needs of coastal communities.

Keywords

Fisheries managementStock recoverySustainable fisheriesMarine conservationOverfishing

References

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Rebuilding Depleted Fish Stocks: Paradigms, Challenges, and Pathways to Sustainability

Abstract

Keywords

References

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