Global fish consumption has reached its highest ever level of about 17 kg per person on average, supplying more than 3bn people with at least 15 per cent of their average animal protein intake, according to a new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Richard Grainger, senior FAO fisheries expert, one of the report's editors, said: "Fish is a good quality and high protein food and the sector contributes in an important way to world food security." But the continued depletion of global stocks threatens world food security, he added. "That there has been no improvement in the status of stocks is a matter of great concern. The percentage of overexploitation needs to go down although at least we seem to be reaching a plateau." The percentage of overexploited, depleted or recovering fish stocks in the world's oceans is estimated to be slightly higher than in 2006. About 32 per cent of world fish stocks are estimated to be overexploited, depleted or recovering and need to be rebuilt urgently, said the report. Most stocks of the top 10 commercial fish species, accounting for nearly a third of the total global catch were fully exploited, warned the report.