Protect Marine Life - Fish

Global fish populations have been heavily shaped by industrial fishing, which pushed many species into decline by the late 20th century.

Today, roughly a third of global fish stocks are overexploited. Some species, such as certain tuna, show recovery when science-based limits and protections are enforced, but many remain in decline. Stronger management, habitat protection, and tackling illegal fishing are essential to secure long-term sustainability.

The IUCN Red List tracks the conservation status of assessed species, while the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) provides open data on the distribution of marine species. Together, these resources help us monitor trends, identify hotspots of biodiversity, and guide action to protect and restore ocean life.

To learn more, explore the Fish & Seafood section in Harvest Wisely.

Key Stats

13,549

Fish tracked on the IUCN Red List
8%

Fish showing decreasing population trends
80%

Fish with insufficient data for assessment

Species at Risk of Extinction

Map:

Globally, 3% of IUCN-assessed marine fish species are at a high risk of extinction.

Fish Data Score

Data Quality (# of species)
- 0 - Insufficient
- 344 - Expired
- 3491 - Stale
- 5157 - Recent
- 281 - Sufficient
Geographic Range

99.70 of global data available
Global Goal(s)

2030 Goal – High Quality
2050 Goal – High Quality

Data Availability

There is still so much we do not know about our oceans.

Join us in filling critical gaps in ocean data.

Fish are the heartbeat of the ocean, driving biodiversity, balancing marine life, and sustaining coastal communities.

Yet in 2021, 37.7% of global fishery stocks were being exploited at unsustainable levels, according to the FAO. Despite their ecological and economic importance, our understanding of how fish populations are changing over time remains limited.

Population trend data are often incomplete, fragmented, or unavailable for large regions, especially in the high seas and developing coastal nations. Closing these data gaps is critical to managing fisheries sustainably and safeguarding the ocean’s balance.

Fish Populations

Track how fish populations are changing over time to understand the current health of ocean ecosystems and the impact of conservation efforts.

Population Trends

Map:

Globally, 12.41% of fish are increasing or stable.

Threats and Risk

Explore the main threats driving fish decline and see how species are classified by risk level to help prioritize protection and recovery efforts.

Greatest Threats

Map:

Globally, the largest threats to all marine fish species are biological resource use, residential and commercial development, and pollution.

Risk Level

Map:

Globally, of the 370 fish species at a high risk of extinction, 228 species are only classified as endangered, meaning there’s still a strong chance for recovery with timely actio

Species	Threat	Trend
Aden Gulf Torpedo	Endangered	Decreasing
Adriatic Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Increasing
Alelia’s Damselfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Allis Shad	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Amanda's Pipefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
American Dab	Endangered	Decreasing
American Eel	Endangered	Stable
Amur Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Anchovy Sprat	Endangered	Decreasing
Angel Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Angular Angelshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Angular Roughshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Annandale's Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Argentine Torpedo	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Ascension Scorpionfish	Endangered	Unknown
Atlantic Devil Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Atlantic Ocean Perch	Endangered	Decreasing
Atlantic Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Australian Mudfish	Endangered	Unknown
Baetican Killifish	Endangered	Decreasing
Banded Houndshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Banggai Cardinalfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Bangladeshi Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Bar	Endangered	Decreasing
Basking Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Bastard Hogfish	Endangered	Unknown
Bastard Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Bastard Trout	Endangered	Decreasing
Big-eye Kilka	Endangered	Decreasing
Bignose Fanskate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Blaasop Beauty	Endangered	Unknown
Black Demoiselle	Endangered	Decreasing
Black Sea Bass	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Blackchin Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Blackfin Specter Goby	Endangered	Decreasing
Blacknose Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Blackspot Chromis	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Blackspotted Catshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Bleeker's Variegated Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Bleeker's Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Blue Sea-cat	Endangered	Decreasing
Blue Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Bluechin Parrotfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Bonnethead Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Bonnetray	Endangered	Decreasing
Borneo Broadfin Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Borneo Guitarfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Borneo Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Bot River Klipfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Bottlenose Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Bottlenose Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Box Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Bramble Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Brazil Blenny	Endangered	Unknown
Brazilian Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Brazilian Large-eyed Stingray	Endangered	Decreasing
Broadfin Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Broadnose Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Brown Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Bullray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Butterfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Camotillo Sand Bass	Endangered	Decreasing
Campoma Guppy	Endangered	Decreasing
Cape Seahorse	Endangered	Decreasing
Caribbean Reef Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Caspian Inconnu	Extinct in the Wild	nan
Cayman Cleaner Goby	Endangered	Unknown
Cayman Gambusia	Endangered	Unknown
Cayman Greenbanded Goby	Endangered	Decreasing
Cayman Sponge Goby	Endangered	Decreasing
Chevron Manta Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Chilean Angelshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Chinese Bahaba	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Chinese Fanray	Endangered	Decreasing
Chinese Paddlefish	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Chinese Puffer	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Chinese Stingray	Endangered	Decreasing
Chinese Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Chupare Stingray	Endangered	Decreasing
Clouded Angelshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Clubnose Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Coastal Stingaree	Endangered	Decreasing
Coelacanth	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Colares Stingray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Colorado Grouper	Endangered	Decreasing
Common Eagle Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Common Smoothhound	Endangered	Decreasing
Copper Steenbras	Endangered	Decreasing
Corfu Valencia	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Crimean Shemaya	Endangered	Unknown
Croceine Croaker	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Dabry's Sturgeon	Extinct in the Wild	nan
Daggerhead Seabream	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Daggernose Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Danube Delta dwarf goby	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Dark Dwarfgoby	Endangered	Unknown
Deepwater Gurnard	Endangered	Unknown
Deepwater Nurse Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Delta Mudsucker	Endangered	Decreasing
Delta Smelt	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Doublebar Goby	Endangered	Unknown
Dumb Gulper Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Dusky Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Dwarf Gulper Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Eightgill Hagfish	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Eric's Goby	Endangered	Unknown
European Eel	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Exuma Goby	Endangered	Decreasing
Eyespot Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
False Bay Klipfish	Endangered	Unknown
False Shark Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
False Smalltail Shark	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Ferocious Coralbrotula	Endangered	Unknown
Flapnose Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Flapper Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Fortescue Grunter	Endangered	Unknown
Fossil Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Fourfinger Threadfin	Endangered	Decreasing
Fox Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Freshwater Gregory	Endangered	Unknown
Freshwater Sawfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Futuna's Emperor	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Galápagos Brotula	Endangered	Decreasing
Ganges Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Giant Devil Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Giant Freshwater Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Giant Shovelnose Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Giant Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Giant Wrasse	Endangered	Decreasing
Glover's Tasman Goby	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Golden Hammerhead	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Grandparents Clingfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Gray Reef Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Great Hammerhead	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Great Northern Tilefish	Endangered	Decreasing
Green Sturgeon	Endangered	Unknown
Greenback Parrotfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Greeneye Spurdog	Endangered	Decreasing
Grey Nurse Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Greyspot Guitarfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Greytail Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Groovebelly Stingray	Endangered	Decreasing
Gulf Grouper	Endangered	Decreasing
Gulf Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Gulper Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Halavi Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Hidden Angelshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Hog-mouth Fry	Endangered	Unknown
Hong Kong Grouper	Endangered	Decreasing
Humpback Smoothhound	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Indian Sharpnose Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Indonesian Angel Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Indonesian Bambooshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Indonesian Guitarfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Indonesian Houndshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Irrawaddy River Shark	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Isthmian Goby	Endangered	Decreasing
Ito	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Japanese Angelshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Japanese Eel	Endangered	Decreasing
Japanese Grenadier Anchovy	Endangered	Decreasing
Japanese Spurdog	Endangered	Decreasing
Japanese Topeshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Japanese Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Jarocho Goby	Endangered	Unknown
Javan Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Jenkins' Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Jimbaran Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Kaluga	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Key Silverside	Endangered	Decreasing
King Dwarfgoby	Endangered	Unknown
Kite Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Knifetooth Sawfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Korean Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Kuhl's Devil Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Leafscale Gulper Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Leopard Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Leopard Torpedo	Endangered	Decreasing
Leopard Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Lesser Devil Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Lightning Man Triplefin	Endangered	Unknown
Little Tiger Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Lonely Blenny	Endangered	Unknown
Longfin Angelshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Longfin Mako	Endangered	Decreasing
Longfinned Eel	Endangered	Unknown
Longhead Eagle Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Longheaded Eagle Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Longnose Marbled Stingray	Endangered	Decreasing
Longnose Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Lowfin Gulper Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Lucayan Cave Brotula	Endangered	Unknown
Lusitanian Cownose Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
MacLeay's Coachwhip Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Magdalena Blenny	Endangered	Stable
Mahsena Emperor	Endangered	Decreasing
Mallethead Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Maltese Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Mardi Gras Wrasse	Endangered	Unknown
Maya Hamlet	Endangered	Decreasing
Miss Lucy	Endangered	Decreasing
Monkfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Mottled Eagle Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Mottled Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Mud Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Narrow Cowtail Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Narrownose Smoothhound	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Narrowsnout Sawfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Nassau Grouper	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Natal Izak Catshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Needle Dogfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
New Holland Seahorse	Endangered	Decreasing
Night Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Noronha Clingfish	Endangered	Unknown
Noronha Frillfin Goby	Endangered	Unknown
Noronha Scaly Blenny	Endangered	Unknown
Noronha's Barber Goby	Endangered	Unknown
North African Shad	Endangered	Decreasing
Norwegian Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Ocellate Eagle Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Ocellated Angelshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Ocellated Eagle Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Osbeck's Grenadier Anchovy	Endangered	Decreasing
Pacific Nurse Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Pacific Smalltail Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Paiva's Blenny	Endangered	Decreasing
Pakistan Whipray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Persian Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Peruvian Coastal Catfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Philippine Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Pignose Grunter	Endangered	Decreasing
Pincushion Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Pink Handfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Pondicherry Shark	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Pontian Shemaya	Endangered	Decreasing
Porcupine Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Port Davey Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Puffadder Shyshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Pygmy Devil Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Queensland Sawfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Raya platana	Endangered	Decreasing
Red Handfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Red Sea Torpedo	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Red Wide-bodied Pipefish	Endangered	Decreasing
Regan Icefish	Endangered	Decreasing
Reticulate Eagle Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Reticulate Round Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Reticulate Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Reticulated Toadfish	Endangered	Unknown
Ringed Guitarfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Rivas's Limia	Critically Endangered	Unknown
River Pipefish	Endangered	Stable
Rosette Torpedo	Endangered	Decreasing
Rough Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Roughback Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Roughnose Stingray	Endangered	Decreasing
Roughnose Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Roughskin Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Round Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Russian Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
SAIAB Goatfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Sakhalin Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
San Quintin Blenny	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Sandbar Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Sandy Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Sarawak Pygmy Swell Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Scalloped Hammerhead	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
School Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Scoophead Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Sea carp	Endangered	Unknown
Senegalese Hake	Endangered	Decreasing
Seret's Butterfly Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Seventy-four Seabream	Critically Endangered	Increasing
Shagreen Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Sharpfin Houndshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Sharpnose Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Sharpnose Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Sharptooth Lemon Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Shortfin Mako	Endangered	Decreasing
Shorthead Barbel	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Shortnose Eagle Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Shortnose Guitarfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Shortspine Spurdog	Endangered	Decreasing
Shorttail Cownose Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Shorttail Nurse Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Shorttail Whipray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Sibayi Goby	Endangered	Decreasing
Siberian Sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Slender Damsel	Endangered	Stable
Slender Hammerhead	Endangered	Decreasing
Small-scale Sillago	Endangered	Decreasing
Smalleye Round Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smalleye Smoothhound	Endangered	Decreasing
Smalltail Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smalltooth Stingray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smoothback Angel Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smoothback Angelshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smoothback Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smoothnose Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Smoothtooth Blacktip	Endangered	Decreasing
Social Wrasse	Endangered	Unknown
Sombre Damselfish	Endangered	Stable
South Brazilian Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
South Georgia Icefish	Endangered	Decreasing
Southern Bluefin Tuna	Endangered	Increasing
Southern Dogfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Southern Guitarfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Southern Tidewater Goby	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Speckled Smoothhound	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Spikenose Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Spineback Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Spiny Butterfly Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Splendid Toadfish	Endangered	Unknown
Spotback Skate	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Spotless Smooth-hound	Endangered	Decreasing
Spotted Handfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Spotted Houndshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Springer's Coral Blenny	Endangered	Unknown
Squaretail Kob	Endangered	Decreasing
Star sturgeon	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Starrynose Cowtail Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Starspotted Smooth-hound	Endangered	Decreasing
Straight-tooth Weasel Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Striped Dogfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Striped Hamlet	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Stripenose Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Sweetwater Demoiselle	Endangered	Decreasing
Taiwan Angelshark	Endangered	Decreasing
Taiwan Spurdog	Endangered	Decreasing
Taiwanese Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Tentacled Butterfly Ray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Thiony’s Clingfish	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Threadfin Porgy	Endangered	Decreasing
Tonkin Numbfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Trindade Scaled-Blenny	Critically Endangered	Unknown
Trindade's Barber Goby	Endangered	Unknown
Tubemouth Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Twineye Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Two-faced Toadfish	Endangered	Decreasing
Valencian Toothcarp	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Venezuelan Dwarf Smoothhound	Endangered	Decreasing
Venezuelan Round Ray	Endangered	Decreasing
Veracruz White Hamlet	Endangered	Unknown
Violinfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Vistonida Shemaya	Endangered	Unknown
Walea Soft Coral Pygmy Seahorse	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Waterfall Bay Handfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
West African Torpedo	Endangered	Decreasing
Whale Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
White-edge Freshwater Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Whitefin Swellshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Whitefin Topeshark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Whitenose Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Whitenose Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Whitespotted Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Whitespotted Izak	Endangered	Decreasing
Whitespotted Wedgefish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Whitespotted Whipray	Endangered	Decreasing
Whitetip Oceanic Shark	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Wide Sawfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Widemouth Blackspot Shark	Endangered	Decreasing
Widenose Guitarfish	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Wingfin Stingray	Critically Endangered	Decreasing
Winter Skate	Endangered	Decreasing
Yellow Drombus	Endangered	Unknown
Yucatan Killifish	Endangered	Unknown
Zonetail Butterfly Ray	Endangered	Decreasing

Protecting fish requires coordinated efforts across policy, conservation, and community action. By reducing pressures and supporting ecosystem recovery, we can help species rebound and strengthen ocean resilience.

Taking Action

Support Marine Protection

The establishment of marine protected areas, seasonal fisheries closures, and restrictions on shipping activities protect fish and other marine life from human activities.
Protect and Restore Habitats

Undertaking restoration projects to revive damaged ecosystems is critically important, as is safeguarding essential habitats crucial for the reproduction and growth of fish such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. Moreover, state marine fisheries agencies should coordinate with other organizations to ensure that habitat restoration plans are developed and that funding is actively sought for their implementation and monitoring.
Implement Sustainable Fishing Practices

Science-based catch limits, selective fishing gear to reduce bycatch, and ecosystem-based management are key to sustainable fisheries. These practices help restore fish populations, protect biodiversity, and ensure that marine ecosystems remain healthy for future generations.

Enforce Fishery Control Regulation

Enhancing legal frameworks by implementing stricter penalties and fostering international agreements is crucial to discourage illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Additionally, promoting transparency by encouraging vessel registration and reporting increases accountability within the fishing industry. Together, these measures can significantly reduce IUU fishing and contribute to the sustainable management of global fish populations.
Improve Water Quality

Reducing land-based pollution through better agricultural practices, sewage treatment, and managing stormwater runoff can help maintain water quality, which is vital for fish populations.
Raise Awareness and Education

Raising public awareness about the importance of fish to people and marine ecosystems can encourage sustainable seafood choices. Engaging local communities — especially fishers and coastal residents — promotes responsible practices and fosters a collective effort to preserve marine resources for future generations.

Mitigate Climate Change

Incorporating fish into climate strategies is crucial for conserving and restoring fish populations.

Case Studies 1

Coastal waters especially in Cebu Strait
Fish Forever in the Philippines

Across the Philippines, small-scale fisheries are vital to food security and livelihoods, yet decades of overfishing, destructive gear, and habitat degradation have pushed many reef fish populations to critical levels. Recognizing the urgency of restoring both ecosystems and community well-being, Rare launched the Fish Forever program in 2012, in partnership with local governments and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

The initiative introduced a new governance model that combines “managed access” zones — granting local fishers secure rights to fish sustainably — with no-take reserves that allow marine life to recover. These areas are designed and monitored directly by communities, creating a powerful sense of ownership and stewardship over their coastal waters.

Within just a few years, the results became visible: reef fish biomass increased, catches stabilized, and local incomes improved. Equally important, communities saw tangible proof that sustainable management works — fostering pride and collaboration. By 2024, more than 100 coastal municipalities had joined Fish Forever, with over 4,000 fishers participating in co-managed areas spanning thousands of hectares.

The program demonstrates that empowering local communities through rights-based fisheries and science-based management can rebuild depleted fish populations while supporting livelihoods and food security. It serves as a replicable model for coastal nations aiming to align conservation and development goals within the 30×30 framework.

Key Actors: Rare, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), municipal governments, local fishing cooperatives
rare.org

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Protect Marine Life - Fish - Ocean Central

Global fish populations have been heavily shaped by industrial fishing, which pushed many species into decline by the late 20th century.

Key Stats

Fish are the heartbeat of the ocean, driving biodiversity, balancing marine life, and sustaining coastal communities.

Protecting fish requires coordinated efforts across policy, conservation, and community action. By reducing pressures and supporting ecosystem recovery, we can help species rebound and strengthen ocean resilience.

Taking Action

Case Studies 1