The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Monday released its annual report card, called the Status of U.S. Fisheries, and, for the first time since its 1997 debut, no stocks were added to the overfishing list.
Of the 251 stocks and multi-species groupings known as complexes NOAA scientists reviewed for “overfishing” status in 2009, 212, or 85 percent, were not subject to overfishing, compared to 84 percent, or 201 out of 251 stocks, in 2008.
Of the 203 stocks and complexes reviewed for “overfished” status in 2009, 157, or 77 percent, were not overfished, the same as in 2008 when 153 out of 199 stocks were not overfished.
“Overfishing” means the catch is above the target set in the fishery’s management plan, while “overfished” factors in a safety margin ensuring the stock is able to recover.
Four stocks — Atlantic swordfish, Atlantic scup, Atlantic black sea bass and St. Matthew’s Island, Alaska, blue king crab — were rebuilt in 2009, bringing the total number of rebuilt stocks since 2001 to 18.
Three stocks — Atlantic scup, Gulf of Maine thorny skate and Gulf of Mexico pink shrimp — were removed from the overfishing list last year, while two stocks of Alaska king crab, the status of which was previously unknown, were also found to be free from overfishing.
Though no stocks were added to the overfishing list in 2009, canary rockfish, petrale sole and two stocks of coho salmon, all from the Pacific, were added to the overfished list.
“By working with our regional fishery councils and commercial and recreational fishermen, we are getting closer every year to ending overfishing in our waters,” said Eric Schwaab, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “With annual catch limits coming into effect this year, we expect our progress to accelerate.”
Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, NOAA and the regional fishery management councils are mandated to end overfishing by enacting annual catch limits by 2010 for unsustainably fished stocks, and by 2011 for all stocks.
