Abstract
The high seas comprise nearly half the Earth's surface and the 2023 United Nations Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement renewed efforts to better manage this vast area. Regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) are tasked with a UN dual-mandate to ensure the (1) long-term conservation of fish stocks and their associated ecosystems while managing the (2) sustainable use of high seas fisheries. Building on a previous analysis, we developed 10 questions each for our 10 categories (e.g. catch targets, transparency, bycatch). These 100 questions were both descriptive (e.g. are there quantitative results of bycatch improvement?) while others indicated intent (e.g. are there plans to rebuild all declining stocks?) and used publicly available information to evaluate 16 RFMOs (with a score of 0, 0.5, or 1). The average score for all RFMOs out of 100 was 46 (max 61.5, min 29.5). There were six questions for which all RFMOs received a 0, 90 questions for which at least one RFMO scored a one, and a 'best case' score of 76.5 that aggregated the highest RFMO score across the 10 categories. This indicates a competence gap; no RFMO is achieving what is empirically documented as possible in one RFMO or another. We also analyzed satellite-derived fishing activity and target stock status. Five RFMO convention areas had the highest overall and density of fishing effort. On average, 56% of stocks targeted in RFMO convention areas were considered overexploited or collapsed. We did not find that RFMO scores were correlated with better management outcomes (i.e. target stock status and fishing effort). However, we found correlations between better target stock status and questions assessing protected area adoption, banning transshipment at-sea, and reducing allowable catches in response to overfishing-policies that few RFMOs have fully adopted. These findings indicate ways for RFMOs to improve high seas fisheries management that are immediately available and effective.