Marine and inland fisheries today are at an important cross-road. On the one hand they make a crucial
and growing contribution to food, nutrition and livelihood security, as reflected, for example, in the
statistic that 22 out of the 30 top fish consuming nations are Low Income Food Deficit (LIFD) countries.
On the other hand, despite significant successes the proportion of marine fish stocks fished within
biologically sustainable levels continues to decline, especially in least developed regions, while inland
fisheries are profoundly affected by the growing demand for fresh water. In addition, the impacts of a
rapidly changing world on the fisheries sector are becoming more and more relevant as we move towards the middle of the century.
