WORLD OVERVIEW 



There are several important points about world 

 fisheries that will assist the reader in comprehending 

 the status of these diverse fisheries and fishing fleets: 



WORLD CATCH IN 1991: 



(most recent complete data available) 



 The world catch was slightly under 97 million 

 metric tons in 1991 and is projected to be 

 approximately the same in 1992. 



 The marine catch was nearly 82 million tons (85 % 

 of the world's total catch). 



WORLD FISHING FLEETS IN 1992: 



 There were an estimated 23,718 high-seas fishing 

 vessels registering 1 1 million-GRT in the world in 

 1992 (see Appendix 1 on page 35). 



 The major Asian fleets operated an estimated 4,000 

 distant-water fishing vessels in 1992. 



 Tlie Baltic fishing fleets numbered 578 vessels, 

 including 358 high-seas vessels in 1992. The high- 

 seas fleet registered slightly less than 1.2 million 

 CRT, accounting for the bulk of the registered 

 tonnage. 



 The inland/freshwater catch was slightly over 15 

 million tons (16%). 



 African countries landed 3 million tons (4%) of the 

 marine catch in 1991. 



 Asian countries harvested 35 million tons (43 %) of 

 marine fish and shellfish. 



 The Commonwealth of Independent States 

 (Russia, Ukraine and Georgia) fishermen landed over 

 9 million tons (10%) of the marine catch of fish and 

 shellfish. Tlie Russian Federation harvested 6.7 

 million tons of this total. 



 The East European fishing fleet (Bulgaria, Poland, 

 and Romania) owned 391 vessels (579,000-GRT), 

 including 159 high-seas vessels with a gross toimage 

 of 551,000-GRT. 



 The Commonwealth of Independent States fishing 

 fleet nimibered an estimated 3,144 vessels (7.1 

 million GRT) including 2,261 high-seas vessels 

 registering 6.8 million gross registered tons. 



 Tlie West European fishing fleet nimibered an 

 estimated 109,000 vessels, including 804 high-seas 

 vessels registering 868,000 gross registered tons in 

 1992. 



 East European countries (Poland, Romania and 

 Bulgaria) caught less than 1 million tons; their catch 

 decreased drastically in recent years. 



 Latin American fishermen harvested over 15 

 million tons (18%) of the 1991 marine catch. 



 North American nations caught over 8 million tons 

 (10%) of the 1991 harvest of marine fish and 

 shellfish. 



 West European countries harvested slightly less 

 than 1 1 million tons (13%) of marine fish and 

 shellfish. 



REFLAGGING: 



 200+ former Asian tuna vessels have been 

 reflagged to other countries in recent years. 

 Information about other fleets is not available. 



 16 vessels having a total tonnage of 38,382-GRT, 

 from the three Baltic Republics were reflagged, 

 mostly in Eastern Europe, during the last 2-3 years. 



 250-1- vessels, with a total tonnage of over 

 300.000-GRT, have been reflagged to Latin America 

 countries since 1986. This is 1/3 to 1/2 of all large 

 fishing vessels operated by Latin American countries. 



 All other nations harvested over 1 million tons 

 (2%) of the catcii of marine fish and shellfish. 



 40-1- Polish vessels were sold or reflagged to 

 countries all over the world by 1993. 



