The international team of 20 economists, marine scientists and seafood experts claim the lack of a coordinated strategy on seafood is threatening global supplies – despite the importance of fish as a source of protein and its contribution to the livelihoods of some 3m people.
Martin Smith, lead author of the paper and associate professor of environmental economics at Duke University's Nicholas School of the Environment said: "The price of seafood has to reflect the cost of maintaining ecosystem health in the countries that capture or farm most of it.”
He warned that many imports are coming from developing countries that are not able to manage their resources sustainably.
The paper is published in the February 12 issue of Science.