May 14, 2012 – New England has the highest number of fish species that are considered overfished, according to a report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA released its annual report on the status of fish stocks in the U.S. today.
“It’s not a surprise,” said Monica Allen of NOAA’s public affairs office in Washington. “That was the case last year and the year before. New England has the oldest fishery in the country.”
The annual report always contains mixed findings, Allen said, and the good news it contained for the region should not be overlooked.
“We are seeing progress accelerate,” she said. “Summer flounder (fluke) is rebuilt and that’s a very valuable stock for both recreational and commercial fishermen in New England.” Government scientists also found that the Georges Bank and Southern New England/Mid-Atlantic stocks of winter flounder are no longer subject to overfishing and the Georges Bank stock will be rebuilt ahead of its 2017 deadline, according to the report.
“The status of two other stocks, red hake and Gulf of Maine winter flounder, was previously unknown,” said George Darcy, NOAA’s assistant regional administrator for sustainable fisheries in the Northeast. “But we have been able to determine that they are not overfished. So that’s good news.”
Winter flounder on Georges Bank and smooth skate in the Gulf of Maine are also no longer overfished, Darcy said.
Of the 45 fish stocks classed as overfished, 11 are New England groundfish, Darcy said.
Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times.