Only 13 corporations control 19-40% of the largest and most valuable stocks and 11-16 % of the global marine catch, according to new research published in the journal PLOS ONE. These "keystone" corporations of the global seafood industry (see complete list below) critically shape the future of marine ecosystems, but have yet to assume this responsibility at the global scale.

- The phenomenon of keystone actors is an increasingly important feature of our human-dominated world. Active leadership in sustainability initiatives by these corporations could result in a cascade through the entire seafood industry towards improved management of marine living resources and ecosystems, says lead author and Centre Deputy Science Director Henrik Österblom, also associated to BEAM's research cluster Laws and management.

The group of researchers behind the article also include Centre researchers Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, Carl Folke, Beatrice Crona, Max Troell, Andrew Merrie and Johan Rockström.

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