PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal fishery officials say 48 stocks of fish populations are subject to overfishing in U.S. waters, but say progress is being made to rebuild fish stocks.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Status of the U.S. Fisheries report says the number of overfished populations at the end of 2010 was up by two from 2009. But officials Thursday said key fish stocks have been rebuilt and that the country is “turning a corner” in rebuilding the nation’s fish populations.
NOAA fisheries chief Eric Schwab says 21 stocks of commercial fish populations have been rebuilt since 2000.
Overall, about 23 percent of all fish stocks were subject to overfishing, meaning they were being fished at too high a level.
