NOAA Status of Stocks report shows more progress rebuilding fish stocks, states NOAA Fisheries head Chris Oliver

“I’m pleased to announce the release of the annual Status of the Stocks Report to Congress which measures the progress the nation has made in ending overfishing and rebuilding stocks. Status of the Stocks provides a “snapshot in time” of the status of our nation’s fisheries last year,” Chris Oliver said, commenting that at the end of 2017, the overfishing list included 30 stocks and the overfished list dropped to 35 stocks.

“91% of the stocks we manage are not subject to overfishing and 87% are not overfished,” he said.

Previously overfished stocks include southern Pacific coast bocaccio, Pacific coast darkblotched rockfish and Pacific ocean perch.

“We regularly track more than 470 stocks or stock complexes. Continuous monitoring and improvement of our knowledge about the status of stocks is key to ongoing sustainable fisheries management under the Magnuson-Stevens Act,” Chris Oliver said, adding that the number of stock assessments completed each year goes through cycles and depends on various factors, including planning and coordination based on council and management needs.

“Fiscal Year 2017 was unique in that NOAA Fisheries completed the largest ever single-year total of stock assessments. While some west coast groundfish species were split into geographic sub-stocks increasing the number of stocks assessed, we completed 31 first-time assessments on mostly data-limited reef species.

With this sound science as our backbone, I believe that there is still room for flexibility and a greater role for common sense in our approach to fisheries management. I am bringing a more business-minded attitude to that process. This Administration is keenly focused on our economic position on all fronts, including fisheries – increasing our production and our exports, and trying to make a dent in the seafood trade deficit.”