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These measures have different units, periods, and meanings, so they cannot be added together or treated as a count of missing fish. Here is what each one can—and cannot—tell you.
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Key takeaways
- FAO’s SOFIA 2026 summary says 72.6% of 2023 landings came from biologically sustainable stocks. This is a landing-weighted stock-status measure, not the share of all fish that remains.
- FAO’s 2024 report cites an estimate that rebuilding overfished stocks could increase fisheries production by 16.5 million tonnes. This is a modeled potential gain, not a tally of past losses.
- A peer-reviewed study estimated that 9.1 million tonnes of fish were discarded annually—10.8% of catch—in global marine and estuarine capture fisheries during 2010–2014. Discards are not synonymous with overfishing losses.
- FAO reported about 92 million tonnes of aquatic animals captured in 2024, including about 80 million tonnes from marine fisheries. Annual production does not show how much fish would have existed without overfishing.
Why is there no single number for fish lost to overfishing?
“Fish lost” is not one standardized scientific measure. It might mean depleted stocks, catch that could be produced if stocks recovered, or fish caught and returned to the sea. Each describes a different part of fisheries, and none is a global count of individual fish missing because of overfishing.
Stock status compares a stock’s biomass with a biological reference level. A stock classified as overfished is below the level associated with maximum sustainable yield; that classification does not count how many individual fish have disappeared. Potential yield is a modeled estimate of what rebuilding might make possible, while discards are fish caught but not retained.
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| Measure | What it describes | Evidence and period | What it does not tell you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock status by landing volume | Share of landings from biologically sustainable stocks | 72.6% of 2023 landings; FAO SOFIA 2026 | The share of individual fish or total biomass lost |
| Potential yield | Possible increase in fisheries production if overfished stocks are rebuilt | 16.5 million tonnes; estimate cited by FAO in 2024 | Observed or cumulative past losses |
| Discards | Catch returned to the sea | 9.1 million tonnes annually, 2010–2014 | Fish discarded solely because of overfishing |
| Individual fish count | Fish absent worldwide specifically because of overfishing | No single global tally in the evidence reviewed | A defensible cumulative count |
What does the 72.6% figure mean?
FAO’s SOFIA 2026 summary reports that 72.6% of landings in 2023 came from biologically sustainable stocks. The figure is weighted by landings: fisheries contributing more landed volume have more influence on the result.
It is not a claim that 72.6% of all fish are present, nor does the remaining share mean that the same percentage of fish has been lost. Stock status and the volume of landings from stocks are related indicators, but neither is a census of fish in the ocean.
FAO also reported that capture fisheries produced about 92 million tonnes of aquatic animals in 2024, including about 80 million tonnes from marine fisheries. FAO says capture production has stayed within a broad range of 86–94 million tonnes since the late 1980s. These are production figures, not estimates of the amount that would have been caught without overfishing or of total fish biomass.
How much catch could rebuilding stocks add?
FAO’s 2024 report cites an estimate that rebuilding overfished stocks to biomass capable of producing maximum sustainable yield could increase fisheries production by 16.5 million tonnes. This is a modeled potential gain under a rebuilding scenario, not an observed annual loss or a measure of fish already missing.
The estimate answers a practical question—how much additional production might be possible if stocks were rebuilt—rather than the title’s literal question of how many fish have been lost. It should not be directly compared with a percentage of landings or with discard tonnage.
How much fish is discarded?
A peer-reviewed assessment by Pérez Roda and colleagues estimated 9.1 million tonnes of fishery catch discarded annually, equal to 10.8% of catch, in global marine and estuarine capture fisheries during 2010–2014. Discards are catch returned to the sea, and may be driven by market conditions, regulations, catch quality, or quota constraints; they are not all attributable to overfishing.
The estimate is historical rather than current-year data. The authors noted limitations, including unreported catch, sparse discard-rate records for many fisheries, and a lack of assessment of the discarded species and size composition. Discard tonnage therefore cannot be converted into a reliable count of individual fish lost to overfishing.
How should you interpret a claim about fish lost?
- Identify the measure: Is the claim about stock status, potential production, discarded catch, biomass, or individual fish?
- Check the unit and period: A percentage of landings and tonnes of modeled potential production are not directly comparable. Keep each figure’s year or reference period attached.
- Check the scope: Note whether the estimate covers marine and estuarine fisheries, a particular group of stocks, or another defined population.
- Check what is observed or modeled: Recorded production, estimated discards, and potential yield describe different kinds of evidence.
- Do not add the figures together: Stock status, potential yield, and discards can overlap conceptually and do not form a cumulative loss total.
The evidence supports concern about stock sustainability and shows that rebuilding could create additional production. It also documents substantial discards. But none of these figures provides a defensible global count of individual fish—or a single cumulative tonnage—lost specifically because of overfishing.
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FAQ
What percentage of fish have been lost to overfishing?
There is no reliable global percentage of all fish lost. FAO’s 72.6% figure refers to the share of 2023 landings from biologically sustainable stocks, not the share of fish remaining or lost.
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Does 16.5 million tonnes mean that much fish has already been lost?
No. The figure cited by FAO in 2024 is an estimate of potential additional fisheries production if overfished stocks were rebuilt. It is not a measurement of past losses.
Are discarded fish counted as overfishing losses?
Not automatically. Discards are catch returned to the sea and can result from market conditions, rules, catch quality, or quota constraints. The 2010–2014 estimate covers discards, not only fish discarded because of overfishing.
How many individual fish have been lost to overfishing?
The evidence reviewed does not provide a single global count. The available indicators use different units and scopes and cannot be converted into a defensible worldwide total of individual fish.
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