Global sustainability assessment of cephalopod fisheries based on pressure-state-response framework

Abstract

Summary: Cephalopods are growing in commercial importance due to their unique biological characteristics; however, uncertainty about the pressure facing cephalopod fisheries poses a challenge to the health of fisheries and to policy development. Therefore, identifying and quantifying the dynamics of the sustainability of global cephalopod fisheries becomes critical. This study focuses on twenty major cephalopod producing countries around the world, using a pressure-state-response (PSR) framework together with an uncertainty assessment methodology. The results suggest that the sustainability of cephalopod fisheries varies greatly among countries; with developed countries characterized by low pressure and high response while developing countries show the opposite characteristics. Although there were large differences in the sustainability of this fishery among countries, the level of sustainability tightened slightly over time. The results emphasize that key response indicators, such as mitigating stressors on fisheries and improving the governance capacity of government departments, contribute to the sustainable use of cephalopod resources.

Keywords

• Earth sciences
• Sustainability aspects of food production
• Fisheries sustainability