General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean

Healthy seas are essential for productive fisheries and aquaculture. Conserving the marine environment is therefore a central aspect of the GFCM’s work.

As the region faces increasing pressure from a range of anthropogenic sources, such as climate change, non-indigenous species and pollution, the GFCM works with partner organizations to monitor and reduce negative interactions and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems.

FAO major fishing area 37

Infographic on Mediterranean and Black Sea biodiversity, climate change and human pressures

Spatial management

Ecosystem approach to fisheries and aquaculture

Climate change

Marine pollution

The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2025

The State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries provides the most comprehensive and up-to-date review of the status and trends of fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

Latest news

Shoal of anchovy and sardine
A targeted approach to sustainability: the GFCM priority species explained
25/09/2026

The General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) plays a critical...

Closer to the catch: Egypt strengthens fisheries monitoring through port-based offices
05/08/2026

Every day, thousands of fishers land their catches along Egypt's extensive Mediterranean coastline, generating valuable information that can help shape...

New GFCM publication showcases results of research programme on red coral in the Mediterranean Sea
29/07/2026

Red coral (Corallium rubrum) is an emblematic species of the Mediterranean Sea, long valued and harvested in the region for millennia. In the...

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