Their now-reduced numbers include edible species that New Englanders have relied on for generations. The most important of them are haddock, cod and yellowtail flounder. In 1993, Gulf of Maine haddock was declared commercially extinct. During much of this time, the major fishing vessels were schooners, fishing with hook and lines, which lacked the speed and power to fully exploit the fishery. Back to chart .
Technology is the answer.
As a result, haddock were badly over-fished for the first time. Back to chart . These appear to be 30 years of sustainable harvesting. Back to chart . This pulse was attracted in part by a record year class of haddock in the early 1960s.