Species on fish overfishing list in US at all-time low in 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C.: In a sign of a recovery in U.S. fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officials said that in 2023, the number of fish on the U.S. government’s overfishing hit an all-time low.

The agency released an updated analysis of American fisheries late last week on its annual "Status of the Stocks" report, which assesses the populations of the seafood species fishermen catch and customers buy.

According to the report, 94 percent of fish stocks are not being overfished, slightly better than a year ago.

In a statement, the NOAA said that the U.S. removed several essential fish stocks from the overfishing list, including the Gulf of Maine and Cape Hatteras stock of Atlantic mackerel and the Gulf of Mexico stock of cubera snapper.

The report added that international governments and non-governmental organizations have cracked down on illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Rick Spinrad, NOAA’s administrator, said, "By ending overfishing and rebuilding stocks, we are strengthening the value of U.S. fisheries to the economy, our communities, and marine ecosystems."

In its report, the agency said that more than 80 percent of fish stocks are not overfished.

It added that commercial fishermen harvested more than 8 billion pounds of seafood valued at nearly US$6 billion in 2022.