Overseas
The Mediterranean is preparing for one of the most significant moments of the year for fisheries and aquaculture governance. On Thursday, 28 November, in Rome, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) will open its annual meeting with the presentation of the State of Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries 2025 (SoMFi 2025), the flagship FAO report that captures the real condition of marine resources in the region.
In a context defined by rising food demand and coastal ecosystems under pressure, the event promises to be decisive. It is not merely a scientific update; it is a turning point that will influence regional policies, the future of fishing fleets, business strategies and the growing role of aquaculture in Mediterranean food security.
A report awaited across the entire supply chain
Over the years, SoMFi has become an essential tool for operators. From small-scale fisheries to major aquaculture groups and processing industries, the sector looks to this document as a compass guiding decisions, strategies and medium-term planning.
The 2025 edition — described by FAO as the most extensive and structured ever produced — is the result of a collaborative effort involving more than 700 experts from member countries. This unprecedented cooperation gives the report exceptional weight, both scientifically and politically.
According to early previews released by the GFCM, the new SoMFi will present updated data on stock conditions, habitat status and the performance of Mediterranean aquaculture. One chapter will focus on the safety of marine food products, an increasingly central theme in a market that demands traceability and high-level controls throughout the value chain.
Opening session
The meeting will be inaugurated by Manuel Barange, FAO Deputy Director-General and Head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, alongside Elif Comoglu Ulgen, Permanent Representative of Türkiye to FAO.
The report will be formally presented by Miguel Bernal, Executive Secretary of the GFCM, who will outline the main scientific evidence and the recommendations proposed for 2025.
The keynote addresses will focus on three strategic pillars:
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strengthening sustainable resource management;
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ensuring safer seas from a food safety perspective;
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increasing the economic resilience of the Mediterranean supply chain.
Why 2025 is a delicate year
The positive signals highlighted in recent SoMFi editions — thanks to multi-annual plans, enhanced monitoring and new management areas — will now be evaluated in light of a Mediterranean that remains one of the world’s climate change hotspots.
Expectations are high: stakeholders anticipate not only updated data but also more detailed operational guidance for fleets and aquaculture operators, at a time when the sector must balance competitiveness with environmental commitments.
For operators, this means revisiting investments, technologies, farm management models and adaptation capacity. For governments, it requires faster and more coordinated decisions.
A Mediterranean that demands cooperation
The GFCM plays an increasingly central role in Mediterranean governance. With 24 members and a unique regional mandate, the organisation has built a shared management system that today allows more accurate stock monitoring and targeted interventions in critical areas.
SoMFi 2025 will also measure this dimension: the level of cohesion among countries and the effectiveness of adopted measures. It is a key test for a sea that can remain productive only if cooperation stays real and continuous.
Looking beyond 28 November
The Rome meeting is more than a presentation. For many businesses across the supply chain — producers, processors, traders and distributors — it will signal the regulatory trends and operational priorities for the upcoming year.
A sector that has shown strong adaptive capacity now awaits a clearer framework to plan with greater security.
SoMFi 2025 will not offer immediate solutions to every challenge, but it will provide what is most needed today: reliable data, realistic scenarios and a shared horizon.
For those who live from the sea — and for those investing in the blue economy — that alone is a meaningful promise.
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