SEATTLE (AP) — Three populations of rockfish in Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia have received federal protection under the Endangered Species Act.
NOAA’s Fisheries Service said Tuesday that rockfish face threats from pollution, loss of habitat, and incidental catches from commercial and recreational fishermen.
Rockfish are bottom dwellers that mature and reproduce slowly, making them vulnerable to overfishing.
Two populations — canary and yelloweye — have received threatened status, while a third population, bocaccio, has been listed as endangered.
