What is at stake? Status and threats to South China Sea marine fisheries.
Governance of South China Sea (SCS) fisheries remains weak despite acknowledgement of their widespread overexploitation for the past few decades. This review incorporates unreported fish catches to provide an improved baseline of the current status and societal contribution of SCS marine fisheries, so that the socio-economic and ecological consequences of continued fisheries unsustainability may be understood. Potential fisheries contribution to food and livelihoods include 11-17 million t in fisheries catch and USD 12-22 × 109in fisheries landed value annually in the 2000s, and close to 3 million jobs. However, overfishing has resulted in biodiversity and habitat loss, and altered ecosystem trophic structures to a 'fished down' state. The present situation reiterates the urgency for fisheries policies that simultaneously address multiple political, social, economic, and biological dimensions at regional, national, and local scales. Importantly, improved cooperation between SCS nations, particularly in overcoming territorial disputes, is essential for effective regional fisheries governance.
Fisheries Economics Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada. l.teh@oceans.ubc.ca.
Louise S L
LS
Teh
Fisheries Economics Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Allison
A
Witter
Changing Oceans Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
William W L
WW
Cheung
Fisheries Economics Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
U Rashid
UR
Sumaila
Changing Oceans Research Unit, Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, AERL 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Xueying
X
Yin
D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends*; D005399:Fishes / Q000254:growth & development*; D005523:Food Supply / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards; D009792:Oceans and Seas
Fisheries sustainability; Governance; Marine fisheries; South China Sea
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