Review of fisheries management issues and regimes in the Pacific Islands Region / G.L. Preston

Abstract

The Pacific Island region's coastal fisheries produce a little over 100,000 tonnes offish and seafood products per year. They are very significant in providing food, income and jobs for Pacific Islanders, and further contribute to Pacific Island economies through import substitution and generation of export earnings. However their sustainability is uncertain due to two main threats: overfishing and habitat degradation. In many of the most accessible localities fisheries production from coastal areas is thought to be at or beyond maximum sustainable yield and higher production cannot be expected. Population growth in the region will lead to increased fishing and decreased yields, especially near urban areas. Additional coastal fishing pressure will result from growing international demand for seafood caused by expanding markets and trade liberalization. The situation in regard to habitat degradation is worsening and the ability of coastal ecosystems to absorb further deleterious changes may be diminishing.