Report: Amid problems, US fish stocks rebound

Associated Press ^ | May 14, 2012 | AP

[JerseyanExile]

A record number of fish populations have been rebuilt in U.S waters, even as problems continue to threaten the future of the high-profile New England fishing industry, according to a federal report released Monday.

Six species that were once considered overfished have rebuilt to optimal population levels in waters from the Bering Sea to the Atlantic Coast, according to the annual report to Congress by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fisheries arm.

The report also said just 45 of 219 fish populations (21 percent) were considered overfished in 2011. Still, 13 of those stocks are in New England. That's the most, by far, of any geographic region.

Emily Menashes, acting director of NOAA's sustainable fisheries office said, overall, the report shows, "We are turning the corner on ending overfishing."

But New England is defying the positive trends and it's unclear how that can change, said NOAA's Galen Tromble. "It's a challenging situation and there aren't any easy solutions," he said.

The report looks at fish populations on both coasts and off Alaska and Hawaii, using the most recent data, generally two to three years old, Menashes said.

The six fish species now considered rebuilt include Bering Sea snow crab, Atlantic coast summer flounder, Gulf of Maine haddock, northern California coast Chinook salmon, Washington coast coho salmon and Pacific coast widow rockfish.

In the last 11 years, 27 U.S. marine fish populations have been rebuilt, according to the report.

Tromble said that reflects years of effort by fishery managers and sacrifice by fishermen to follow rebuilding plans started 10 or 15 years ago.

[Amberdawn]

Yeah, no thanks to the foreign owned but U.S. registered trawler factories who take the vast majority of tonnage.