This report provides an overview of the biological status of assessed stocks around the world and relates measures of stock status to the strength of fisheries management. Stock assessment outputs, consisting primarily of time series of abundance and fishing pressure relative to target reference points, were compiled for 548 marine fish and invertebrate stocks in the RAM Legacy Stock Assessment Database.

Among the data summary methods were global and regional mean trends of abundance and fishing pressure relative to target reference points; bivariate plots of relative abundance and fishing pressure; estimates of potential equilibrium yield foregone at current fishing pressure; and proportions of stocks in different biomass status categories. These measures of stock status were summarized at the global level as well as separated by 16 FAO Major Fishing Areas and ocean basin regions for comparison.

The data presented in this report demonstrated that where fisheries management is being intensely applied (i.e. with regulations based on outputs of scientific stock assessments, and where those regulations are enforced), fishing pressure can be maintained within sustainable ranges that provide maximum or near-maximum long-term yield.