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FishEBM projects contribute to report on Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries

The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2025 highlights unprecedented progress in sustainability and science-based management

By IW:LEARN

December 18^th, 2025

On 28 November, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) unveiled the 2025 edition of The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries (SoMFi), highlighting an encouraging trend for marine capture fisheries across the region.

In a significant milestone for fisheries management, the share of stocks facing overexploitation has fallen to 52 per cent – down from 87 per cent in 2013 – marking the lowest level ever recorded in the SoMFi series. This achievement is based on an unprecedented assessment of 120 stocks, also revealing a 50 per cent decrease in fishing mortality and a 25 per cent increase in the biomass of assessed commercial species over the past decade. These improvements are driven in part by enhanced data and analytical work carried out through the GEF-funded Fisheries and ecosystem-based management for the Blue Economy of the Mediterranean (FishEBM MED) and Fisheries and ecosystem-based management for the Black Sea (FishEBM BS) projects and show clear progress in increasing the share of landings from sustainably managed fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea – a core indicator for GEF. Together, these findings confirm the effectiveness of science-based fisheries management in delivering measurable progress.

"The GFCM has always demonstrated a remarkable collective commitment to science-based management, strengthened regional cooperation and sustainable development of aquatic resources, for the benefit of Mediterranean coastal communities."

said Saloua Sadok, Director-General, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies, Tunisia.

How FishEBM MED and FishEBM BS are reinforcing science, management and cooperation

Since their endorsement in 2022, both projects have played a pivotal role in advancing ecosystem-based management and improving the availability, quality and use of fisheries data. The projects have contributed directly to the data-rich findings in SoMFi 2025, including – among others – by enhancing stock assessment and fisheries management processes, filling gaps in available socioeconomic data, quantifying bycatch and fisheries interactions with vulnerable species, and increasing coverage of fisheries-restricted areas through the establishment of the Otranto Channel fisheries restricted area.

"The positive trends observed this year in the Black Sea are particularly encouraging. The ongoing recovery of turbot stocks represents a concrete outcome of the intensive efforts undertaken by Türkiye and the coastal states of the region. Conservation measures and sustainable management practices are contributing significantly to the ecological balance of the Black Sea and to the well-being of coastal communities."

said H.E. Elif Çomoglu Ülgen, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to FAO.

Despite these encouraging outcomes, SoMFi underscores that collaborative effort must continue and expand. While progress is evident, a significant percentage of assessed stocks remain overfished, and ecosystems face ongoing pressures linked to environmental change, habitat degradation and species vulnerability. Continued coordinated action and sustained scientific investment are therefore essential. To address these persistent challenges, the FishEBM projects are advancing scientific research and promoting environmental stewardship through a holistic approach that combines scientific evidence, strengthened legislative frameworks, stakeholder engagement and innovative practices. Key activities include improving coverage of surveys-at-sea, raising awareness of management measures among fishers, piloting monitoring, control and surveillance tools such as fishing gear sensors, trialling innovative technologies such as eDNA metabarcoding, and assessing the impacts of underwater noise pollution from trawl fisheries. Together, these activities deliver critical insights that drive the improvements highlighted in the key findings of SoMFi 2025.

Woman repairing fishing gear. Credit: FAO-GFCM/Tamer Günal.

Looking ahead: ensuring long-term sustainability

Beyond strengthening data systems, the projects also promote social and economic sustainability by equipping beneficiary countries with tools to assess not only the biological and ecological impacts of fisheries management, but also the social and economic implications for men and women along the value chain. The socioeconomic insights featured in SoMFi 2025 underscore the relevance of these efforts for coastal communities and regional economies. Through sustained engagement with governments, research institutions and local fisheries stakeholders, FishEBM MED and FishEBM BS continue to reinforce regional cooperation and foster a shared commitment to sustainable fisheries management.

While SoMFi 2025 demonstrates that evidence-based management and regional collaboration are delivering measurable progress, continued efforts remain essential. Consolidating these advances will require ongoing investment, strengthened compliance mechanisms and coordinated regional action. Maintaining momentum through initiatives such as the FishEBM projects will be critical to achieving healthy marine ecosystems, resilient coastal communities and a sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

FishEBM projects contribute to report on Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries

About the project

The “Fisheries and ecosystem-based management for the Blue Economy of the Mediterranean” project (FishEBM MED) and the “Fisheries and ecosystem-based management for the Black Sea” project (FishEBM BS) are funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and aim to reverse the overexploitation of select commercial living marine resources by enhancing the capacity of Mediterranean and Black Sea countries to manage fisheries through the application of ecosystem-based management tools. The FishEBM projects are committed to strengthening Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries management, facilitating a shift towards a more participatory and ecosystem-based approach that engages all relevant stakeholders.

For more information, please contact Anna Carlson: Anna.carlson@fao.org

About the report

Produced every two years, SoMFi draws on official data from GFCM Members and the latest scientific assessments. It serves as a key reference for policymakers, tracking the state of the region’s stocks, the performance of its fleets and farms, and progress toward sustainability goals.

Read the full report

Footnotes

Words by Eleonora Corsale. Cover photo: Fishing boats moored in Ponza, Italy, by FAO-GFCM/Paolo Graziosi.

FootNotes

Words by Eleonora Corsale. Cover photo: Fishing boats moored in Ponza, Italy, by FAO-GFCM/Paolo Graziosi.

© 2026 IW:LEARN

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