Status of Stocks 2014

Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries

Overfishing and Overfished Numbers

Hit All-Time Lows

Status Listings

Overfishing & Overfished Lists

Overfishing: 308 stocks with known status:

Overfished: 228 stocks with known status

282 (92%) stocks are not 

on the overfishing list

26 (8%) stocks are on 

the overfishing list

191 (84%) stocks are not 

on the overfished list

37 (16%) stocks are on 

the overfished list 

NOAA Fisheries is pleased to present the 2014 

Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries, 

as required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act (MSA). As a 

result of the combined efforts of NOAA Fisheries, 

the regional fishery management councils 

(councils), and all our partners, the number of 

stocks listed as subject to overfishing or overfished 

continues to decline and is at an all-time low.
By the end of 2014, just 26 stocks were on the 

overfishing list and 37 stocks were on the overfished 

list. Both lists are at all-time lows. The number of stocks 

rebuilt since 2000 increased to 37.

NOAA Fisheries tracks 469 managed stocks and stock 

complexes in 46 fishery management plans, or FMPs. 

In 2014, six stocks were removed from the overfishing 

list and four were added. Two stocks came off the 

overfished list, and no new ones were added. Specific 

changes to the status of our nation’s managed marine 

fish stocks in 2014 include: 

2013 2014

28 (9%) on

overshing

list

26 (8%) on

overshing

list

40 (17%) on

overshed

list

37 (16%) on

overshed

list

34 stocks on

rebuilt list

37 stocks on

rebuilt list

The Year in Review

Snowy grouper - Southern Atlantic Coast

Albacore - North Atlantic

Haddock - Gulf of Maine

Gag grouper - South Atlantic

Gulf of Mexico Jacks Complex 

Bluen tuna - Western Atlantic

Greater amberjack - Gulf of Mexico

Gray triggersh - Gulf of Mexico

Puerto Rico Scups and Porgies Complex

Puerto Rico Wrasses Complex1

Albacore - North Atlantic

Gag grouper - Gulf of Mexico

NO stocks added.

Overshing List

Removed Added

Overshed List

Removed2 Added

Albacore - North Atlantic

Gag grouper - Gulf of Mexico

NO stocks added.

Rebuilt List

Gag grouper - Gulf of Mexico

Golden tilesh - Mid-Atlantic Coast

Buttersh - Gulf of Maine to Cape Hatteras

Details on all managed stocks available online: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sfa/fisheries_eco/status_of_fisheries

1. This complex was formerly listed as unknown and the council now has the infomation needed to manage it.

2. The Caribbean grouper unit 4 complex, previously listed as overfished, was consolidated with other groupers into a single complex. 

The status of this consolidated complex is unknown.
Continual Progress

Ecosystem-based fishery management is central to our 

mission to sustainably manage fisheries. Ecosystembased fishery management is an approach to fisheries 

management that is informed by science to protect 

and sustain diverse and productive ecosystems and 

the benefits they provide. It is an integrated approach, 

incorporating the entire ecosystem, including humans, 

into resource management decisions, and is guided by 

adaptive management.

Ecosystem-based fisheries management strengthens our 

ability to understand and address complex ecosystem 

Improving Stocks - Rebuilding Fisheries

When a stock is determined to be overfished, the 

relevant council must implement a rebuilding plan. 

A typical rebuilding plan allows fishing to continue, 

but at a reduced level so that the stock will increase 

to its target level and can produce the maximum 

sustainable yield (MSY)—the largest long-term average 

catch that can be taken from a stock under prevailing 

environmental and fishery conditions. 

Forty-six stocks and stock complexes are currently 

under rebuilding plans. NOAA Fisheries monitors 

rebuilding stocks to ensure they increase in 

abundance to their target level that supports MSY, 

and makes adjustments to plans if needed. Thirteen 

of the rebuilding stocks are no longer overfished 

and continue to rebuild toward their target. Current 

information on fishing mortality and biomass trends 

for stocks in rebuilding plans is available online:

www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sfa/fisheries_eco/status_of_

fisheries.

Ending Overfishing

In 2007, Congress enacted a requirement to use 

annual catch limits (ACLs) to end and prevent 

overfishing. The use of ACLs has been successful to date 

and stock assessments show that the number of stocks 

subject to overfishing continues to decline. Of the 41 

stocks listed as subject to overfishing in 2007, only 10 

domestic and four international stocks are still on the 

overfishing list. NOAA Fisheries has limited ability to 

control overfishing of international stocks because they 

are fished in international waters and they are exempt 

from ACL requirements. An additional 12 stocks have 

been added to the overfishing list since 2007, half as a 

result of first-time stock assessments. NOAA Fisheries 

and the councils are actively monitoring how well the 

ACLs control catch and are working to prevent further 

overfishing.

interactions in decisions we make about:

• How many fish to catch

• Where and when to catch them

• Who can catch them

This approach helps us end overfishing and rebuild 

stocks for the long term benefit of the nation by 

helping us respond to, anticipate, and manage impacts 

to fisheries from various components of the ecosystem.

All fishery management councils are implementing 

ecosystem-based fisheries management in some form 

within their fisheries.

What is ecosystem-based fishery management?
Western Pacic:

Striped marlin - Central Western Pacic1

Seamount Groundsh Complex - Hancock Seamount

Pacic and Western Pacic:

Pacic bluen tuna - Pacic1

Bigeye tuna - Pacic1

Pacic:

Canary rocksh

Pacic Ocean perch

Yelloweye rocksh 

North Pacic:

Blue king crab - Pribilof Islands

Pacic:

cic1

Islands Islands

on 

overshed

list 

Stock Status

The U.S. is the world leader in sustainable fisheries management.

Click here for more information on sustainable seafood.

1. Stock is fished by U.S. and international fleets.
New England: 

Atlantic cod - Georges Bank 

Atlantic cod - Gulf of Maine

Windowpane - Gulf of Maine/Georges Bank

Witch ounder

Yellowtail ounder - Cape Cod/Gulf of Maine

Yellowtail founder - Georges Bank

Thorny skate - Gulf of Maine

Atlantic halibut

Atlantic salmon

Atlantic wolsh

Ocean pout

Winter ounder - Southern New England

Winter skate - Georges Bank/Southern New England

Highly Migratory Species:

Blacknose shark - Atlantic

Blue marlin - Atlantic1

Dusky shark - Atlantic

White marlin - Atlantic1

Scalloped hammerhead - Atlantic

Porbeagle shark - Atlantic

Sandbar shark - Atlantic

Bluen tuna - West Atlantic1

Sailsh - West Atlantic1

South Atlantic:

Red snapper

Blueline tilesh

Speckled hind

Warsaw grouper

Red porgy

Snowy grouper

Caribbean:

Puerto Rico Scups and Porgies Complex

Puerto Rico Wrasses Complex

Goliath grouper

Nassau grouper

Queen conch

Gulf of Mexico:

Greater amberjack

Gray triggersh

Hogsh

Red snapper

Gulf of Mexico:

Greater amberjack

Gray triggersh

W

W

Y

Y

T

A

A

A

O

W

W

Mid-Atlantic:

None

by U.S. Region

on 

list 
2011 2012 2013 2014

5

0

10

15

20

25

Percentage of Stocks

Stock Trends 2007 - 2014

2007 2008 2009 2010

% on overshed

list

% on overshing

list

Overfishing 

& Overfished

The MSA requires that FMPs specify objective and measurable 

criteria, or reference points, for determining when a stock is subject 

to overfishing or overfished. A scientific analysis of the abundance 

and composition of a fish stock, called a stock assessment, evaluates 

the stock against those reference points. A stock assessment 

typically undergoes peer review by independent scientists before it 

is accepted as the best scientific information available. Generally, 

we use stock assessments and the reference points to determine if a 

stock is subject to overfishing or overfished.

Information from the stock assessment is also used by the councils 

to recommend the annual catch limit (ACL) for the stock. ACLs 

are designed to end and prevent overfishing. While catch limits are 

set annually, assessments are usually done less frequently. NOAA 

Fisheries generally uses the stock assessment to determine if the 

catch limit ended or prevented overfishing. Sometimes, a stock will 

remain on the overfishing list until an assessment demonstrates it is 

no longer subject to overfishing, even if catch stays below its ACL. 

This can cause a delay in removing stocks from the overfishing list, 

several years after the implementation of ACLs.

The Science Behind 

Stock Status 

Stock Trends 2007 - 2014

This report focuses upon these 

two important concepts in fishery 

management. But just what do they 

mean? Here are some of the main 

concepts covered in this report:

Maximum sustainable yield, or MSY, 

is the largest long-term average catch 

that can be taken from a stock under 

prevailing environmental and fishery 

conditions. 

A stock that is subject to overfishing

has a harvest rate higher than the rate 

that produces its MSY.

A stock that is overfished has a 

population size that is too low and that 

would jeopardize the stock’s ability to 

produce its MSY.

A rebuilt stock is one that was 

previously overfished and that has 

increased in abundance to the target 

population size that supports its MSY.

What’s the difference?

As a harvest rate, overfishing is a direct 

result of fishing activities. Allowed 

to continue unchecked, overfishing 

is associated with many negative 

outcomes, including a depleted 

population. Current management 

practices—such as annual catch limits 

and accountability measures—reduce 

the likelihood of this happening.

As a population size, overfished 

can be the result of many factors, 

including overfishing, and also habitat 

degradation, pollution, climate 

change, and disease. While overfishing 

is sometimes the main cause of an 

overfished stock, these other factors 

can also play a role and may affect the 

stock’s ability to rebuild.
Read more about the status of our stocks and how NOAA Fisheries helps ensure sustainable fisheries.

NOAA Fisheries Home Page: www.fisheries.noaa.gov

Stock status updates - See the latest quarterly update and supporting documents: www.fisheries.noaa.gov/sfa/

fisheries_eco/status_of_fisheries

Rebuilt Stocks 

2014

Gag Grouper Golden Tilesh Buttersh

Gulf of Maine to 

Cape Hatteras

Sustained 

management and 

improved science 

that considers shifting 

environmental 

conditions, including 

climate change. 

The latest assessment 

shows the stock able 

to support a 

substantial shery.

The Mid-Atlantic 

Fishery Management 

Council increased 

annual catch limits to 

roughly 20,000 metric 

tons. 

Seafood companies 

are working to 

develop new markets, 

both here and in 

Japan.

Mid-Atlantic Coast

Management 

measures include 

gear restrictions and 

annual catch limits 

allocated to 

individual shermen.

Total U.S. landings 

valued at over $7.8 

million in 2012. 

Expected to increase 

with improved stock

health.

As a result of 

rebuilding, shermen 

and dealers can 

expect a more 

predictable shery 

and provide a steady 

supply of seafood to 

consumers. 

Gulf of Mexico

Management 

measures include 

revised catch limits, 

minimum sh sizes, 

and area 

management.

The 2013 commercial 

harvest of nearly 1.2 

million pounds of 

South Atlantic and 

Gulf of Mexico gag 

was valued at 

$4.7 million.

As a result of 

rebuilding, we can 

consider increasing 

the annual catch 

limits for this stock.

$ $ $
U.S. fisheries play an important role in the nation’s 

economy. Fisheries provide opportunities for 

commercial, recreational, and subsistence fishing, and 

sustainable seafood for the nation. NOAA Fisheries 

reports in the 2012 Fisheries Economics of the United 

States that commercial and recreational fisheries 

contribute $199 billion per year to the U.S. economy 

and support 1.7 million jobs. The MSA provides a 

strong science-based approach to realize these benefits 

by ending overfishing and rebuilding stocks. Stocks at 

target and rebuilt levels also contribute to an overall 

healthy ecosystem and increase the resilience of our 

fisheries in the context of changing ocean conditions 

and complex ecosystem interactions.

The progress we have made in 2014 to end overfishing 

and rebuild stocks demonstrates that our sciencebased approach to determining stock status and 

managing for sustainability is working. To strengthen 

the management process that guides our actions to 

end and prevent overfishing, we recently proposed 

revisions to guidelines that assist the eight councils 

and NOAA Fisheries in developing rebuilding plans, 

setting annual catch limits, and developing effective 

fishery management plans. The proposed revisions set 

the stage to further improve fisheries management to 

ensure our stocks are sustained for future generations.

Fishery management decisions incorporate complex 

ecosystem information. Anticipating and responding 

to those interactions and changes to our ocean 

ecosystems will be a particular challenge in the 

future. NOAA Fisheries and the councils are already 

implementing measures to address issues related 

to minimizing bycatch, addressing forage fish, and 

protecting habitat. 

However, NOAA Fisheries also recognizes the 

particular and timely need to strengthen the resilience 

of our fisheries to climate change impacts and to 

strengthen our use of ecosystem-based fisheries 

management approaches. The draft NOAA Fisheries 

Climate Science Strategy will improve the production 

and use of climate-related information in fisheries 

management decisions. The strategy proposes steps 

the agency should take to increase the production, 

delivery, and use of climate-related information to 

marine and coastal resource managers, resource users, 

and others at regional and national scales. 

These efforts are just two examples of how NOAA 

Fisheries is looking to the future to ensure the 

long-term sustainability of our fisheries and the 

communities that depend on them. We look forward 

to working with Congress, the councils, our state 

partners, and other stakeholders to build on these 

efforts and identify other opportunities to further 

strengthen the long-term biological and economic 

sustainability of our nation’s fisheries. 

Managing Sustainably 

in a Changing World

U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Penny Pritzker

Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration and Undersecretary of Commerce

Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D.

Acting Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Eileen Sobeck 

April 2015

www.fisheries.noaa.gov