Species Recovery, U.S. Fish Stocks

In the 1990s, many US ocean fish populations were in severe decline. “The most alarming and publicized example was the collapse of many of New England's iconic groundfish stocks, such as cod, haddock, and flounder.... In 1996, Congress addressed the fisheries crisis by amending the nation's federal fisheries law, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act, or MSA).”  Today, two-thirds of the fish stocks managed under Magnuson-Stevens have now been designated as ‘fully rebuilt or as having made significant progress toward sustainable populations.'  Work remains to be done, particularly with respect to stocks that continue to struggle to rebuild, remain unassessed, and have rebuilt but must not be put at risk of becoming overfished again. 

Rebuilt

New England: Sea Scallop, Haddock, Windowpane, Flounder, Acadian Redfish, Silver Hake, Red Hake, Yellowtail Flounder, Monkfish North, Monkfish South

Mid-Atlantic: Spiny Dogfish, Bluefish, Scup, Black Sea Bass, Summer Flounder, Golden Tilefish

Gulf of Mexico: Red Grouper

Pacific: Lingcod, Widow Rockfish

North Pacific: Blue King Crab (St. Matthew Island), Snow Crag (Bering Sea), Southern Tanner (Bering Sea)