In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s capture fisheries and aquaculture sectors experienced an “unprecedented shock” that rippled across the globe, according to a review by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF).

The study, published in the journal Reviews in Fisheries Science & Aquaculture in September, titled A Scoping Review of Aquatic Food Systems during the COVID-19 Pandemic delves into the profound impact of the pandemic on these sectors, highlighting the unique challenges posed by a global-scale health crisis intertwined with economic complexities.

“Our challenge now is to transform our aquatic food systems and make them more resilient to future shocks and stresses,” Manuel Barange, Assistant Director-General and Director of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, said in response to the study. “To achieve this, it is imperative that we assess and learn from past experiences to inform our responses to future shocks.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in May 2023 that COVID-19 no longer constituted a public health emergency of international concern.