The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) today released its 2007 Status of US Fisheries report and it contains “good news.”
According to the report, 7 stocks are no longer subject to overfishing, 4 stocks are no longer overfished and 3 stocks have fully rebuilt. Additionally, no stocks have been found newly subject to overfishing. Among those no longer subject to overfishing are yellowfin tuna – Central Western Pacific, bigeye tuna – Atlantic, and both the north and south stocks of monkfish.
“It is heartening to see these kinds of successes,” said John Connelly, President of the National Fisheries Institute (NFI). “It shows not only the seafood community’s commitment to sustainability but the effectiveness of the fisheries management system run by NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS.)”
The report is published each year as part of a Congressional requirement under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.
“The seafood community and the leadership at NOAA Fisheries continue to make sustainability their highest priority and this document is evidence that work and cooperation is paying dividends,” said Connelly. “What is really important to know about this report is that it confirms the vast amount of seafood Americans enjoy is sustainably managed.”
