Japan ranks on the 11th place in the world in terms of health levels of the oceans, according to a first world index published by U.S. and Canadian researchers.

The index, that is assessing the health of the world’s oceans, has the goal of helping protect marine environments and achieve their sustainable management, according to the science journal Nature, quoted by Kyodo.

The index assesses about 170 marine areas. Japan’s waters ranked 11th on the list, with a score of 69 points out of a possible 100, slightly better than the average global value of 60 points.

One of the main reasons that is pushing the index down globally is the decline of fishing resources, the scientists said. In this respect, developed countries tend to perform better than developing countries, according to Nature magazine.