With a human population of 8.3 billion people worldwide and millions facing malnutrition, food security is something to think about. But imagine if the ocean could help with that. Scientists at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) in Panama and collaborators from several other institutions have found that allowing coral reef fish populations to recover could dramatically increase the number of fish servings produced sustainably per year, feeding millions of people. Their research reveals that many reef fish populations are so depleted that they are producing far less than their sustainable potential — yet rebuilding these stocks could help fight global hunger.
"Our study quantifies how much is being lost by having overfished reef fish communities in terms of food provisioning and, in turn, how much could be gained from rebuilding reef fish stocks and managing them at sustainable levels," explains Jessica Zamborain-Mason, a professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and first author of the recently published paper in the journal PNAS.
The study shows that coral reefs worldwide could increase sustainable fish yields by nearly 50% if fish populations were allowed to recover. This recovery could provide countries with 20,000 up to 162 million additional sustainable servings, enough to meet recommended seafood intake for several million people annually, which is eight ounces per week per person. Country-by-country, the greatest benefits would occur in regions suffering from the greatest hunger and micronutrient deficiencies, such as parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Indonesia for example is the region with the greatest potential benefit.
"There is a positive correlation between countries' potential increase in the number of fish servings with stock recovery and their global hunger index. Therefore, countries with higher malnutrition indexes could benefit more from recovered reef fish stocks," expressed STRI staff scientist and co-author of the study Sean Connolly.
Researchers analyzed data from all territories worldwide that contain coral reefs, located in a variety of countries such as Dominican Republic, Panama, Jamaica, Kenya, Mauritius, Oman, Jamaica, Madagascar, Philippines, Indonesia, among others. They used statistical models to estimate current fish quantities and potential yields from allowing fish stocks to recover, on reefs classified as overfished. That is, they calculated how much fish stocks would need to grow to reach "maximum sustainable yields" and "pretty good yields" and how long recovery would take under different management scenarios. Fish recovery time would depend on the state of depletion and fishing restrictions, but scientists calculated that it could take on average from six to 50 years.
Rebuilding coral reef fisheries shouldn't be just an ecological goal— this study shows it could be a pathway to help fight hunger and improve nutrition. However, achieving these gains would require effective fisheries management that allows fish stocks to grow. For some locations, making such a strategy viable would require improved fisheries management, alongside alternative livelihoods during recovery periods and international support. The next challenge is designing specific strategies that balance conservation with human livelihoods, ensuring that the ocean's potential is fully realized.
"Our findings also reinforce that effective reef fisheries monitoring and management has substantial and measurable benefits beyond environmental conservation; it has food security and public health implications," explains Zamborain-Mason.
Reference: J. Zamborain-Mason, J.E. Cinner, M.A. MacNeil, M. Beger, D. Booth, S.C.A. Ferse, C.D. Golden, N.A.J. Graham, A.S. Hoey, D. Mouillot, & S.R. Connolly. 2025. Potential yield and food provisioning gains from rebuilding the world's coral reef fish stocks, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 122 (51) e2508805122, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2508805122.
About the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Headquartered in Panama City, Panama, STRI is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. Our mission is to understand tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, to train students to conduct research in the tropics and to promote conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Watch our video , and visit our website , Facebook , X and Instagram for updates.
