Fishing in low-income countries with growing populations has led to severe depletion of fish numbers in the tropics, a new global study has found.

 

Fishing in those regions now accounts for more than 40% of the wild marine catch, the study found.

 

The number of fish caught in the tropics – particularly in south-east Asia – has increased while the marine catch has decreased in the rest of the world. Many wild marine fisheries will not be able to increase production until effective management plans are put in place to rebuild the overfished stocks, the study found.

 

Fish accounts for 16% of the world’s animal protein intake, increasing to 20% in low-income food-deficit nations, most of which are in the tropics.

 

The findings are an early insight from the landmark State of the Tropics report, which involves 12 research institutions from around the world, including Australia’s James Cook University.

 

A senior research fellow at the university’s Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, Andrew Tobin, said much of the overfishing had occurred in Indonesia and China, up by 4.7m and 3m tonnes respectively in the 60 years to 2010.

 

A recent government assessment of about 150 Australian fisheries found only two were in an unsustainable position, he said.

 

The full findings from the State of the Tropics report will be launched by the Burmese opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, on 29 June.