Report: New England stocks still overfished
The Gulf of Maine haddock fishery has been rebuilt, according to a 2011 report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. However, New England still has the highest overfishing levels in the country.
According to NOAA's annual report to Congress on the status of U.S. fisheries, a total of 13 species in New England are overfished, meaning the fish population is too low. These include Atlantic cod, halibut and salmon; yellowtail flounder and windowpane, a type of flounder. Some of these species are also subject to overfishing, meaning the rate of removal of the stock is too high. However, the region did make some improvements -- smooth skate in the Gulf of Maine is no longer overfished, and winter flounder is no longer overfished in the Georges Bank and southern New England regions. As a result, catch limits for winter flounder for the Northeast regions were raised for 2012.
Nationally, the majority of fish stocks in 2011 were at sustainable levels. A total of 222 stocks, or 86%, were not subject to overfishing, while 14%, or 36 stocks, were subject to overfishing. Forty-five stocks, or 21%, were overfished, while 27 stocks were rebuilt. More stocks in 2011 were declared rebuilt than any other single year.
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