The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released the 2022 Status of Stocks report last week, outlining U.S. marine fish stocks managed by NOAA Fisheries.
In 2022, U.S. fisheries data revealed that 93 percent of stocks are not subject to overfishing and 81 percent are not overfished. These numbers show slight improvements compared to the 2021 figures of 92 percent and 80 percent, respectively. Positive trends were seen this year with the number of stocks on the overfishing list decreasing by two stocks to 24, and the number of overfished stocks decreasing by three stocks to 48.
NOAA administrator Rick Spinrad says, “This annual report reveals the U.S. remains a global leader in maintaining the sustainable fisheries that drive the blue economy, support coastal communities and play a key role in marine ecosystems.”
The latest data show that U.S. commercial and recreational fishing supports 1.7 million full- and part-time jobs, generated over $253 billion in sales impacts and contributed $79.4 billion to the gross domestic product.