NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Releases Status of U.S. Fisheries Report Citing Progress in Rebuilding Fisheries

摘要

Each year, NOAA's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issues "The Status of U.S. Fisheries" report to inform Congress and the public on the agency's progress in restoring fish stocks to sustainable population levels by tracking the population and harvesting status of many marine fisheries in the United States.In July 2011, NMFS tl:presented the 14th Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries ("2010 NMFS Report") which reports on the fishing activity and population level of fish stock in the country. The information in the 2010 NMFS Report generated by the NMFS, NMFS regional offices, and regional science centers was based on the most recent stock assessments as of December 31, 2010. On a positive note, overall, it found that in 2010, 84% of the stocks examined for fishing activity (213 of 253stocks) were free from overfishing, or not fished at too high a level. However, the 2010 NMFS Report also found that 77% the stocks with known population levels (159 of 207 stocks) were above the overfished level — a level that is too low to provide themaximum sustainable yield. In particular: 1) the Georges Bank haddock; 2) Atlantic Pollock; 3) and spiny dogfish — thus increasing the number of rebuilt healthy levels of these fish stock since 2000.