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Aichi Biodiversity Target Six – Sustainable Fisheries – focuses on the sustainable management of the world’s fisheries, including of key species and habitats. It states: By 2020 all fish and invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants are managed and harvested sustainably, legally and applying ecosystem based approaches, so that overfishing is avoided, recovery plans and measures are in place for all depleted species, fisheries have no significant adverse impacts on threatened species and vulnerable ecosystems and the impacts of fisheries on stocks, species and ecosystems are within safe ecological limits. 

Overexploitation is a severe pressure on marine and riverine ecosystems globally, and has led to dramatic declines in fish stocks. This theme applies to all fish, invertebrate stocks and aquatic plants that are affected, either directly or indirectly, through harvesting activities. To achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target Six, sustainable fisheries management, countries will need to assess the state and trends of fisheries and fish habitats. They will need to take a variety of steps, including protecting areas critical for life stages; ensuring appropriate policies and catch levels; developing and implementing recovery plans for depleted species; and enforcing all relevant laws, including illegal fishing practices. 

Target 6 indicators may include status and trends in: 

• Area, frequency and/or intensity of fishing practices that are destructive and/or outside safe biological limits
• Fishing catch per unit effort for key species
• Populations of key target species including by-catch species
• Protection of ecologically and biologically significant areas for fisheries

Main Resources

• Aichi Biodiversity Target 6 Quick Guide
• CBD Cross-Cutting Theme on the Programme of Work on Marine and Coastal Biodiversity
• CBD Technical Series 14
• Marine Spatial Planning: Practical Approaches to Ocean and Coastal Decision-Making
• Marine Stewardship Council
• Resilience Alliance Marine Program
• Conservation InternationalG��s Sustainable Fisheries Program
• IUCN Global Ocean Biodiversity Institute