Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and fisheries research Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Marine and fisheries research research in the Class of 2026?

The Class of 2026 for Marine and Fisheries Research indicates a sharp rise in focus on climate resilience and conservation, with topics like Marine protected areas, Great Barrier Reef, and Reef recovery surging. Concurrently, broader stress indicators such as Marine heatwave and Thermal stress experienced declines, suggesting a shift from documenting thermal impacts to exploring actionable conservation and recovery strategies.

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Updated July 17, 2026

At a glance

Field
Marine and fisheries research
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
6,452
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Coral bleaching, marine heatwave, species range shifts, marine protected areas, overfishing
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
36–119
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 6,452
11918m citations

Environmental, economic, and social sustainability in aquaculture: the aquaculture performance indicators

Taryn M Garlock et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-49556-8

Frank AscheAuburn University, United States

Aquaculture Performance Indicatorsthree pillars of sustainability frameworkenvironmental impactsocial effectseconomic outcomessocial outcomesenvironmental outcomesaquaculture systemsproduction technologyspecies comparisontechnology comparisonsustainability metricsglobal aquaculturefood productionpolicy measuressustainability alignment
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#2 of 6,452
11318m citations

Satellite mapping reveals extensive industrial activity at sea

Fernando S Paolo, David Kroodsma et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-023-06825-8

Fernando PaoloGlobal Fishing Watch, United States

satellite imageryvessel activity dataDeep learning modelsindustrial fishing vesselspublic tracking systemsAIS (Automatic Identification System)dark fishingtransport vessel activityenergy vessel activityoffshore energy infrastructureoffshore wind turbinesoil structuresCOVID-19 pandemic impact on fishingSouth Asia fishing activitySoutheast Asia fishing activityAfrica fishing activityocean industrialization mappingcoastal waters monitoringuntracked vessel detectionFishing effort
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#3 of 6,452
8118m citations

<scp>Bio‐ORACLE</scp> v3.0. Pushing marine data layers to the <scp>CMIP6</scp> Earth System Models of climate change research

Jorge Assis et al.Global Ecology and Biogeography202410.1111/geb.13813

Jorge AssisUniversidade do Algarve, Portugal

Bio-ORACLE v3.0CMIP6Shared Socioeconomic Pathway scenariosEarth System ModelsSpecies distribution modelingmarine biodiversity projectionsChlorophyll-a concentrationdiffuse attenuation coefficientdissolved irondissolved oxygenocean pHphotosynthetic active radiationmixed layer depthSea icemulti-model ensemblebenthic habitat layerstopographic position indexterrain ruggedness index0.05° resolution data layersClimate projections
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#4 of 6,452
6818m citations

Highest ocean heat in four centuries places Great Barrier Reef in danger

Benjamin J Henley et al.Nature202410.1038/s41586-024-07672-x

Benjamin J. HenleyUniversity of Wollongong, Australia

Great Barrier ReefCoral bleachingSea surface temperatureCoral Sea400-year temperature reconstructionJanuary–March heat extremeshistorical baselineanthropogenic climate change attributionclimate model analysishuman influence on climatepost-1900 warming trendnear-annual bleaching trajectoryEcosystem servicesoutstanding universal valueecological function threat
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#5 of 6,452
6518m citations

Ecological erosion and expanding extinction risk of sharks and rays

Nicholas K Dulvy, Nathan Pacoureau et al.Science202410.1126/science.adn1477

Nicholas K. Dulvy, Nathan PacoureauSimon Fraser University, Canada

Red List Indexextinction risksharks and raysOverfishingMarine biodiversityEcosystem functioningecomorphotypesfunctional diversitynearshore habitatsPelagic ecosystemsFisheries bycatchpopulation connectivitytop-down forcingfisheries subsidiesgovernance indicatorshuman coastal populations50-year temporal analysissustainable fishing levelsretention banspecies trade restriction
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#7 of 6,452
5318m citations

Ocean protection quality is lagging behind quantity: Applying a scientific framework to assess real marine protected area progress against the 30 by 30 target

Elizabeth P. Pike et al.Conservation Letters202410.1111/conl.13020

Elizabeth P. PikeMarine Conservation Institute Seattle Washington USA, United States

30 by 30 targetMarine protected areasMPA Guide frameworkMPA coverageMPA quality assessmentfully protected MPAshighly protected MPAsMPA implementation gapshigh-impact activities in MPAsbiodiversity loss reversalecoregion distributionremote territories MPAsMPA regulationsMPA managementconservation outcomesrepresentative marine ecosystemsdestructive human activitiesglobal MPA network100 largest MPAs analysis
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#9 of 6,452
5118m citations

Stock assessment models overstate sustainability of the world’s fisheries

Graham J Edgar et al.Science202410.1126/science.adl6282

Graham J. EdgarUniversity of Tasmania, Australia

stock assessment modelsBiomass estimationfisheries managementhindcast estimatesretrospective biasOverfishingStock collapsemaximum historical biomassassessment uncertaintysystematic overestimationfisheries valuationtemperature effects on stock assessmentprecautionary managementbiomass trendsassessment revision10% biomass threshold
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#10 of 6,452
5018m citations

Cumulative risk of future bleaching for the world’s coral reefs

Camille Mellin et al.Science Advances202410.1126/sciadv.adn9660

Camille MellinUniversity of Adelaide, Australia

Coral bleachingOcean warmingThermal stressClimate refugialow-latitude coral regionsbleaching risk projectionseasonal bleaching onsetyear-round bleachinggreenhouse gas mitigationcoral reef biodiversityMarine temperature forecastingbleaching severityannual bleaching durationspring bleaching onsetclimate change vulnerabilityCoral reef conservation
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#11 of 6,452
4618m citations

The critical role of coral reef restoration in a changing world

Raquel S. Peixoto et al.Nature Climate Change202410.1038/s41558-024-02202-z

Raquel S. Peixoto, Christian R. Voolstra, Tali Vardi, David J. SuggettKing Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia

Coral reef restorationClimate change impacts on coral reefsCoral reef degradationassisted evolutionResilienceReef recoveryrestoration interventionsEcosystem servicesCoral bleachingOcean warmingocean acidificationactive restoration techniquesgenetic diversity enhancementecological engineeringrestoration scalabilityAdaptive management
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#12 of 6,452
4518m citations

Selective breeding enhances coral heat tolerance to marine heatwaves

Adriana Humanes, Liam Lachs et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-52895-1

Adriana HumanesNewcastle University, United Kingdom

Marine heatwaveCoral bleachingselective breedingThermal toleranceheritabilitynarrow-sense heritabilityparent colony selectionadult offspringsimulated heatwave exposure1-week +3.5°C heat stress1-month +2.5°C heat stressphenotypic variabilitygenetic basisgenetic correlationshort-stress tolerancelong-stress tolerancepopulation resilienceclimate change adaptationassisted evolution
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#13 of 6,452
4418m citations

Atmospheric CO2 emissions and ocean acidification from bottom-trawling

Trisha B. Atwood et al.Frontiers in Marine Science202410.3389/fmars.2023.1125137

Trisha B. AtwoodUtah State University, United States

Bottom trawlingSediment carbon disturbanceatmospheric CO2 emissionsocean acidificationsatellite-inferred fishing eventscarbon cycle modelsaqueous CO2 release dynamicssemi-enclosed basinswater pH alterationSeabed disturbancemillennial carbon accumulationglobal carbon release quantificationTrawling effort managementclimate solution potential
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#14 of 6,452
4318m citations

Marine heatwaves disrupt ecosystem structure and function via altered food webs and energy flux

Dylan G E Gomes et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-46263-2

Dylan GomesOregon State University, United States

Marine heatwaveFood webEcopath ecosystem modelingEcotrantrophic relationshipsenergy fluxgelatinous taxapyrosomesSpecies range shiftsfunctional groupsdiet databaseNortheast Pacific Oceantime series abundance dataecosystem structureEcosystem functioningcascading effectspredator-prey interactionsthreatened speciesharvested species
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#15 of 6,452
4318m citations

Records reveal the vast historical extent of European oyster reef ecosystems

Ruth H. Thurstan et al.Nature Sustainability202410.1038/s41893-024-01441-4

Ruth H. ThurstanUniversity of Exeter, United Kingdom

Ostrea edulisBiogenic reefsoyster reefshistorical baselinehabitat extent mappingAnthropogenic stressorscoastal ecosystem degradationthree-dimensional habitat structureseafloor flatteningmacrofauna assemblagesshifting baseline syndromehabitat loss quantificationreef-building bivalvesbenthic habitat complexityhistorical ecologymarine spatial extent analysis
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#17 of 6,452
3818m citations

Increasing disturbance frequency undermines coral reef recovery

Michael J. Emslie et al.Ecological Monographs202410.1002/ecm.1619

Michael J. EmslieAustralian Institute of Marine Science, Australia

Great Barrier ReefCoral coverDisturbance frequencyMarine heatwavetropical cyclonesCoral bleachingReef recoveryThermal stressdisturbance regime shiftrecovery time windowshistorical baselineClimate-driven disturbanceCoral reef degradationEcosystem shiftsincomplete recovery
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#18 of 6,452
3718m citations

Climate change is an important predictor of extinction risk on macroevolutionary timescales

Cooper M Malanoski et al.Science202410.1126/science.adj5763

Cooper Malanoski, Erin E. SaupeOxford University, United Kingdom

marine invertebratesextinction riskmacroevolutionary timescales485 million yearsintrinsic traitsextrinsic climate changephysiological traitsmagnitude of climate changeextinction resistanceclimate-mediated extinction mechanismsPhanerozoictrait-based extinction modelspaleoclimatebiodiversity lossclimate velocity
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#19 of 6,452
3618m citations

New global area estimates for coral reefs from high-resolution mapping

Mitchell Lyons et al.Cell Reports Sustainability202410.1016/j.crsus.2024.100015

Mitchell LyonsUniversity of Queensland, Australia

coral reef area estimationHigh-resolution mappinggeomorphic zone mappingBenthic substrate classification5 m pixel resolutionSentinel-2 satellitesPlanet Dove CubeSat constellationAllen Coral AtlasGoogle Earth Enginemachine learning classificationtraining samplesShallow coral reefscoral habitat quantificationglobal coral reef distributionRemote sensingtropical coastal ecosystems
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#20 of 6,452
3618m citations

Fishing for oil and meat drives irreversible defaunation of deepwater sharks and rays

Brittany Finucci et al.Science202410.1126/science.ade9121

Brittany FinucciNational Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand

deepwater sharksdeepwater raysOverfishingliver-oil tradePopulation declinelong generation lengthslow recovery potentialsdepth limitsspatial limitscatch regulationsbycatch mitigationinternational trade regulationdefaunationthreatened megafauna
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Marine and fisheries research

What Topics Define the Class of 2026?

In the Class of 2026, marine and fisheries research is predominantly characterized by studies on climate impacts and ecosystem management. The most frequent topics include Coral bleaching, Marine heatwave, and Species range shifts, reflecting an intense focus on how marine environments respond to changing climate conditions. Additionally, topics like Marine protected areas and Overfishing are highly prevalent, indicating that researchers are heavily invested in actionable conservation strategies and sustainable fisheries management. The prominence of these topics suggests a dual focus on understanding environmental stressors and implementing protective measures to safeguard vulnerable marine ecosystems.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026?

The transition to the Class of 2026 highlights a distinct pivot towards specific conservation areas and recovery mechanisms. Topics such as Great Barrier Reef, Marine protected areas, and Reef recovery emerged rapidly, alongside an increased focus on Overfishing. Conversely, broader stress indicators like Marine heatwave, Thermal stress, and Sea surface temperature experienced significant declines. This evolution underscores a broader trend in marine research: a move from broadly documenting the occurrence of thermal stress and heatwaves towards localized conservation efforts and evaluating the effectiveness of protective strategies in mitigating these impacts.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Marine and fisheries research Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/marine-and-fisheries-research/2026. Accessed 2026-07-17.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459