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To: Seafood Community
Fr: Pamela Tom
University of California
Sea Grant Extension Program
NOAA RELEASES REPORT ON STATUS OF U.S. MARINE FISHERIES FOR 2005
Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a report on the status of U.S. marine fisheries for 2005. The government report shows both progress in rebuilding overfished species and response of fisheries managers to slow fishing rates for species that were found in 2005 to have above-target harvests. Each year, NOAA announces the state of U.S. fisheries to inform Congress and the American public of the agency's progress in restoring fish stocks to sustainable population levels. The annual report tracks both population levels and harvest rates for species caught in federal marine waters,
between three and 200 miles off U.S. coasts.
In 2005, NOAA scientists determined population levels for 206 fish
stocks and multi-species groupings known as complexes. Of these, 152 (74
percent) were not overfished. NOAA scientists also determined the
harvest rates for 237 stocks and found that 192 (81 percent) were not
subject to overfishing.
This year's report is of special interest as Congress works to
strengthen the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which has governed management of
America's fisheries for 30 years. Yesterday, the Senate passed its
version of the Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization bill.
"I'd like to thank and congratulate the United States Senate for its
leadership in passing a Magnuson-Stevens bill, " said Bill Hogarth,
director of NOAA Fisheries Service. "We hope to see passage of a House
version soon so the Congress can develop a final Magnuson-Stevens
reauthorization bill."
In a proclamation declaring June 4-10 as "National Oceans Week,"
President Bush reiterated the Administration's commitments to end
overfishing and to collaborate with Congress to build an improved,
market-based system to better manage our fisheries and keep our
commercial and recreational fishing industries strong.
"We continue to make progress in rebuilding overfished stocks and ending
overfishing, but this report also signals the need for additional
management tools from Congress for us to be more effective stewards of
our oceans," Hogarth said. "I look forward to the passage of a robust
bill to reauthorize the Magnuson-Stevens Act with provisions that give
NOAA and the regional fishery management councils stronger legal
mandates to end overfishing more quickly, which in turn will accelerate
the rebuilding of overfished stocks."
Hogarth reiterated the need for expanded use of market-based fishery
management programs to allow fishermen to manage their fishing
operations more like a business, strengthen incentives to fish in a
sustainable manner and allow them to fish when weather conditions are
safest and prices are best.
NOAA has implemented plans to rebuild the 54 overfished stocks within
the last eight years which, in some cases, is not enough time for them
to recover from previous decades of substantial overfishing. Although
overfishing still occurs on 45 fish stocks and complexes, the regional
fishery management councils have been taking action to scale back the
rate of overfishing. In many cases, rebuilding plans phase out
overfishing over time to prevent major social and economic impacts to
fishing communities, as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Act.
NOAA scientists collect and analyze data to determine population levels
and fishing rates for the major species targeted by recreational and
commercial fishermen. While NOAA does not evaluate populations of every
marine species, the agency continues to assess the health of more
species each year. In 2005, new assessments helped NOAA determine
population levels and/or fishing rates for 20 additional stocks and
stock complexes.
Changes in fish population levels between 2004 and 2005 consist of the
following:
* Pacific lingcod stocks became fully rebuilt three years ahead of
schedule and were added to the list of healthy, sustainable fisheries in
2005;
* Six stocks grew to a level that they were no longer overfished
in 2005 - barndoor skate, bluefish, golden tilefish, widow rockfish,
Bering Sea snow crab, and Eastern Bering Sea tanner crab;
* Seven stocks whose population levels were unknown in 2004 were
determined not to be overfished in 2005 - starry flounder, blackgill
rockfish, gopher rockfish, California scorpionfish, kelp greenling, and
Gulf of Alaska rex sole, and Gulf of Alaska rougheye rockfish;
* Three stocks were determined to be overfished due to population
declines in 2005 - Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, scup and Pacific
ocean perch; and
* One stock whose population level was unknown in 2004 was
determined to be overfished in 2005 - the Caribbean grouper unit 4
complex.
Changes in harvest rates between 2004 and 2005 consist of the following:
* Six stocks were no longer subject to overfishing in 2005 -
American plaice, witch flounder, golden tilefish, lingcod, shortspine
thornyhead, and black rockfish (North);
* Ten stocks whose fishing rates were unknown in 2004 were
determined not to be subject to overfishing in 2005 - little skate,
winter skate, barndoor skate, thorny skate, clearnose skate, rosette
skate, smooth skate, Gulf of Alaska skate, shortraker rockfish, and
longnose and big skates;
* Four stocks were determined to be subject to overfishing in 2005
- Georges Bank yellowtail flounder, Georges Bank winter flounder,
Central Western Pacific yellowfin tuna, and the Caribbean grouper unit 1
complex;
* Three stocks whose fishing rates were unknown in 2004 were
determined to be subject to overfishing in 2005 - Caribbean grouper unit
4 complex, Caribbean snapper unit 1, and Caribbean parrotfishes.
When a fish stock is determined to be either overfished or subject to
overfishing, the regional fishery management councils must develop a
plan to correct the problem. The councils were notified of the four new
overfished and seven new overfishing determinations for 2005, and have
taken corrective action or are scheduled to take action this summer.
NOAA Fisheries Service is dedicated to protecting and preserving our
nation's living marine resources and their habitats through scientific
research, management and enforcement. NOAA Fisheries Service provides
effective stewardship of these resources for the benefit of the nation,
supporting coastal communities that depend upon them, and helping to
provide safe and healthy seafood to consumers and recreational
opportunities for the American public.
Source: NOAA, June 20, 2006 http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/docs/Status%20of%20Stocks%20Release.pdf
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