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Federal Fisheries Policy Reform Project: Rebuilding Fisheries and Fishing Communities

Once-abundant fish like cod, summer flounder and red snapper have been subject to
overfishing for decades and are now at a fraction of their historic population sizes.

A recent government report revealed that the health of 70 marine fish stocks managed by the federal government is in jeopardy. The problem is overfishing, which, if left unchecked, will cause their numbers to drop even further, threatening their long-term health and that of the marine environment in which they live. Once-abundant fish like cod and red snapper have been subject to overfishing for decades and are now at a fraction of their historic population sizes. Managers have routinely ignored warnings from scientists regarding the health of these populations, and have set annual catch limits too high in response to pressure from the fishing industry.

To fix this problem, Congress enacted a law in December 2006 that requires managers to set science-based annual catch limits that do not allow overfishing. To guarantee that the law is implemented as intended, the Pew Environment Group has mounted a national effort to ensure that the National Marine Fisheries Service adopts regulations that provide regional fishery managers with clear guidelines for use in establishing annual catch limits that end overfishing. In regions with significant overfishing problems, the Pew Environment Group is conducting intensive campaigns aimed at strengthening fishery management practices to ensure that regulations are followed.

For decades, United States fishery management has been driven by industry pressure rather than sound science. Managers have avoided the tough decisions needed to protect the nation’s fisheries from being over exploited and to rebuild those that have been severely depleted. The results have been devastating, driving some populations to historic lows that, in turn, have further exasperated the loss of jobs and income to coastal communities. Both Congress and the president have called for an end to overfishing. The Pew Environment Group is committed to ensuring that fisheries managers heed their call.