A new World Bank publication puts dollar numbers on the world’s approach to fishing:
Economic losses in marine fisheries resulting from poor management, inefficiencies, and overfishing add up to US$50 billion per year.
The book argues that:
strengthened fishing rights can provide fishers and fishing communities with incentives to operate in an economically efficient and socially responsible manner.
I presume it would help conserve marine biodiversity as well.
Also just out is the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2008, from FAO. Part 1 is a very informative and data rich overview. FAO estimates that 80% of fisheries are fully or over-exploited, and that 47% of fish consumed is from aquaculture (which must become more sustainable, says the WWF).
Part 2 has a chapter on Marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction as related to marine biodiversity and the sustainable use of living marine resources. It is about bio-prospecting in international waters, and benefit sharing. They are looking at the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture to help develop policy in this area.