May 9, 2017— Today NOAA Fisheries released both its Status of the Stocks and Fisheries Economics of the United States reports to Congress.

The Status of the Stocks report continues to illustrate the benefits of a world class sustainability oversight system based on science. Two previously overfished stocks have been rebuilt, and the number of stocks on the overfishing and overfished lists nears an all-time low.

Importantly, the fisheries that provide the most seafood for American families and our export partners, like Alaska pollock, remain exceptionally well managed.

Meanwhile the Fisheries Economics report illustrates the ongoing importance of the marine economy where fisheries generate more than “$200 billion in sales.”

NOAA’s reports demonstrate the importance of seafood, both domestic and imported, to the economy and serves to highlight the more than 1.6 million jobs supported by all seafood. 

The report shows the importance of jobs in the seafood supply chain, from harvesters to processors, to wholesalers and distributors right through to retail and restaurants.

A commitment to sustainability, employment and trade, that fuels America’s growing appetite for seafood, is at the heart of NOAA’s mission and the successes it has seen through the Magnuson Steven’s Act.

A continued emphasis on science-based management, sound business practices and responsible regulation will generate encouraging reports, like today’s, for years to come.

John Connelly

President, National Fisheries Institute

Contact Information

Gavin Gibbons

(703) 752-8891

ggibbons@nfi.org