West Coast Dungeness Crab Stable or Increasing Even With Intensive Harvest, Research Shows

03/04/2020

Central California crab numbers rise to an average of five times that of past decades.

Fisheries of the United States, 2018

02/21/2020

Each year NOAA Fisheries compiles key fisheries statistics from the previous year into an annual snapshot documenting fishing’s importance to the nation.

Sustainable Management Means We Can Have Our Tuna and Eat It Too

12/02/2019

Once harvested at too high a rate, Atlantic bluefin tuna today are not subject to overfishing thanks to our comprehensive, sustainable management.

Alaska’s Pollock Fishery: A Model of Sustainability

10/28/2019

Alaska’s cold, nutrient-rich waters support some of the largest and most successful commercial fisheries on the planet. The pollock fishery is one of them.

Fish Habitat “Realtors” Keep Sustainable Seafood on Your Plate

10/22/2019

NOAA Fisheries works to identify and protect essential fish habitat—areas that fish call home. By doing so, we ensure that there’s sustainable seafood for dinner!

U.S.-Caught Sharks Are a Sustainable Food Choice

10/22/2019

While overfishing has greatly depleted some shark populations overseas, U.S. shark fisheries are some of the most sustainable in the world.

From Local Farm to Table: Our History of Sustainable Fish Production

10/16/2019

Learn how Hawaiian fish ponds help with sustainable seafood production.

Tide to Table: The Rise of Ocean Farmers

10/14/2019

Aquaculture, also known as farming in water, is the fastest growing food production system in the world.

Interview with John Kaneko, Hawaii Seafood Council

10/10/2019

Learn from an expert about fishing in Hawaii, the one-of-a-kind Honolulu Seafood Auction, and why U.S. consumers should have confidence in buying and consuming American seafood products.

Now Comes the Hard Work: Rebuilding the Market for West Coast Groundfish

10/09/2019

Part 3 of West Coast Groundfish series: Innovation and determination pushes local rockfish back onto fish counters often dominated by imported fish.

Collapse of Groundfish Fishery Forced a More Sustainable Future

10/08/2019

Part 2 of West Coast Groundfish series: “If you wanted to stay, you had one option.” Fishermen remade the system to survive.

West Coast Fisheries "Comeback of the Century"

10/07/2019

Part 1 of West Coast Groundfish series: At San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf and beyond, sustainable rockfish returns to market and to dinner plates around the world.

Serving Up Seafood: National Seafood Month

10/01/2019

Join us for National Seafood Month 2019 and learn how we work to support healthy, sustainable seafood all year round.

How We Safeguard Atlantic Tunas

05/03/2019

Our robust management system helps conserve these in-demand tuna species while providing fishing opportunities.

Swordfish, It’s What (Could Be) for Dinner

04/30/2019

If it’s U.S.-harvested swordfish, you can feel confident it’s a smart seafood choice.

NOAA Names Rubino Senior Advisor for Seafood Strategy

04/29/2019

Rubino will lead the development of markets for United States fisheries products and facilitate new and expanded domestic aquaculture production.

Visit Us At Seafood Expo North America

03/14/2019

March madness isn’t only about basketball—at NOAA Fisheries it’s also about Seafood Expo North America (SENA), held every March in Boston for the past 39 years.

Underwater Cameras Capture the Value of Shellfish Habitat

10/19/2018

Researchers and growers placed remote, underwater cameras around shellfish aquaculture beds to document the diversity of species that use this nearshore habitat.

Footage from the Fisheries

10/01/2018

Check out these clips featuring U.S. fishermen catching seafood and harvesting marine aquaculture.

Savoring Seafood: National Seafood Month 2018

09/28/2018

If you're a seafood fan like us, you'll be happy to hear that October is National Seafood Month. We will be highlighting sustainable (and delicious) U.S. seafood with new features, videos, and more. Follow along online using the tag #SeafoodMonth.

United States and Canada Collaborate On Aquaculture

08/03/2018

Food-related industries are the backbones of the U.S. and Canadian economies. These industries increase food security and export opportunities and provide important rural jobs. Aquaculture is an expanding food-related industry in both nations and is the world’s fastest growing food production system. As aquaculture expands, Canada and the United States are working together to secure a sustainable future for seafood farming through science and policy collaboration.

New Report Evaluating U.S. Shellfish Aquaculture Permitting Systems Now Available

06/27/2018

NOAA Fisheries has a long history of supporting shellfish aquaculture development and the agency recognizes that sustainable aquaculture development is critical to the nation’s food security. While U.S. aquaculture production is increasing, there remain significant bureaucratic and social constraints. In an effort to compare and contrast the numerous shellfish aquaculture permitting systems and their constraints, NOAA Fisheries supported a comprehensive review of federal, state, and local shellfish permitting systems around the nation. 

The 20-year Migration of the Hawaiian Fishery for Bigeye Tuna

05/30/2018

Hawaii’s bigeye tuna fishery effort has grown tremendously over the past 20 years, so how does that affect its catch? Oceanographers from NOAA’s Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center and the University of Hawaiʻi examined logbook, observer, and ocean temperature data from 1995 to 2015. They found that fish catch doesn’t just depend on how many hooks are set, but also where those hooks are set. Why?

U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program to Include Shrimp and Abalone by December 31

04/23/2018

By December 31, 2018, it will be mandatory for foreign shrimp products to be accompanied by harvest and landing data for shrimp and abalone imports entering the U.S.

NOAA has lifted its stay on shrimp and abalone in the U.S. Seafood Import Monitoring Program – known as SIMP.  As required by Congress -- by December 31, 2018, it will be mandatory for foreign shrimp products to be accompanied by harvest and landing data and for importers to maintain chain of custody records for shrimp and abalone imports entering the U.S. The inclusion of shrimp – the largest US seafood import- and abalone in SIMP nearly doubles the volume and value of imported fish and fish products subject to its requirements, further leveling the playing field for U.S. fishermen, aquaculture producers, and seafood producers around the world who play by the rules.

Farming in Water

02/22/2018

Aquaculture—the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animals and plants in all types of water environments—is one of the most resource-efficient ways to produce animal protein and has helped improve nutrition and food security in many parts of the world. Learn how NOAA is a driving force in this rising industry.

Farming in Water

02/22/2018

Aquaculture—the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animals and plants in all types of water environments—is one of the most resource-efficient ways to produce animal protein and has helped improve nutrition and food security in many parts of the world.
 Learn how NOAA is a driving force in this rising industry.

New Trade Rule Combats Illegal, Fraudulent Seafood

01/01/2018

Seafood Import Monitoring Program underway as of January 1, 2018.

Think Outside the Bird this Thanksgiving: Serve up Some Seafood

11/16/2017

“Turkey Day” doesn’t have to be all about turkey. Think about fish for your holiday dish.

New Technology Examines Oyster Aquaculture Ecological Services

11/03/2017

An important aspect of sustainable aquaculture is understanding the interaction between the local environment and an aquatic farm. The NOAA Fisheries Milford Laboratory is a global leader in aquaculture research and this year researchers are using cutting-edge technology to study the interactions between oyster farm gear and wild species.

Oyster Bar 101

10/18/2017

With oyster production on the rise in many regions of the United States, more and more people are finding themselves at oyster bars, also known as raw bars. These establishments offer a variety of oysters, as well as a fun, hands-on experience—but it can be tricky! So whether you are looking to impress a date or just to avoid spilling cocktail sauce on your shirt, here’s some advice for oyster bar beginners.

Milford Lab Takes on Sugar Kelp Cultivation

10/13/2017

Americans generally do not think of seaweeds as something to eat, but thanks to a growing interest in sugar kelp, that view might be changing. Researchers at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s Milford Laboratory see sugar kelp as an opportunity to improve and diversify commercial aquaculture operations.

Thermal Habitat Key for Northern Shrimp

07/13/2017

During the past decade, ocean temperatures in the western Gulf of Maine have warmed. This warming is likely playing a role in keeping stock abundance for northern shrimp—a cold-water species—low.

Flatfish Feeding Behavior: It’s All in the Lips

07/07/2017

NOAA Fisheries scientists in Alaska are looking at flounder lips to figure out how feeding behavior differs between flatfish species.

Two West Coast Stocks Rebuilt

06/22/2017

NOAA Fisheries declares bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish rebuilt ahead of schedule.

New Findings on Rockfish Reproduction and Health

05/23/2017

Christina Conrath of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center set out to collect maturity and reproductive data to improve stock assessments for three deepwater rockfish species.

Ocean Warming Driving Species Distribution Shifts

05/12/2017

Commercially important species on the Northeast U.S. shelf will continue to shift their distribution as ocean waters warm two to three times faster than the global average through the end of this century.

Reports Show Continued Recovery of U.S. Fisheries

05/10/2017

NOAA Fisheries announces the release of the agency’s Annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries and the 2015 Fisheries Economics of the United States report.

Nutrient Approval is Victory for U.S. Fish Farmers

02/14/2017

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved an ingredient for fish feed that provides fish farmers with more options and reduces our nation’s reliance on feed made of other fish. The ingredient is called taurine.

Nutrient Approval Is Victory for U.S. Fish Farmers and Seafood Lovers

02/09/2017

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved an ingredient for fish feed that provides fish farmers with more options and reduces our nation’s reliance on feed made of other fish. The ingredient is called taurine (pronounced TAR-een).

Celebrating 40 Rebuilt Stocks

10/13/2016

Barndoor skates are the 40th rebuilt stock in the U.S. fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Act.

Essential Fish Habitat: A Smart Investment for Sustainable Fisheries

07/05/2016

Q&A with Eileen Sobeck, the head of NOAA Fisheries, on the importance of fish habitat and the law protecting it.

Fisheries Economics of United States 2014 Report

05/26/2016

NOAA Fisheries releases its annual Fisheries Economics of the U.S. with a number of improvements that provide a more accurate and detailed picture of the economic contribution fisheries play in the U.S. economy.

Status of Stocks: U.S. Fisheries Continue to Rebuild

04/20/2016

Two stocks rebuilt in 2015, and stocks on the overfishing and overfished lists remain near all-time lows. Read more in Status of Stocks 2015.

Draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy Released

02/24/2016

NOAA Fisheries is committed to minimizing bycatch in U.S. fisheries. Comment on the draft National Bycatch Reduction Strategy.

Sustainability Assessment for U.S. Fisheries

01/28/2016

Peer-reviewed assessment shows that U.S. federally managed fisheries more than meet criteria of the United Nation’s FAO ecolabelling guidelines.

Aquaculture Moves Offshore and Into the Future

01/11/2016

An interview with Dr. Michael Rubino, director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture.

Listening for Cod

03/26/2015

Scientists and fishermen are working together to locate spawning aggregations of Atlantic cod. The goal is to allow fish and fishermen to each go about their business separately.

Butterfish—Little Fish, Big Science

10/29/2014

The new stock assessment for butterfish accounted for the effects of ocean temperatures on the distribution of the stock, something that will become increasingly important as the climate changes and the oceans warm.

An End to Overfishing (Podcast)

10/20/2014

An interview with Sam Rauch, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Regulatory Programs at NOAA Fisheries.

Probiotics on the Shellfish Farm

06/23/2014

NOAA Fisheries scientists are developing a new, environmentally friendly technology to increase yields at oyster hatcheries.

Scientists Study Ecosystem Effects on Fish Populations

04/09/2014

Scientists seek to understand how physical and biological forces combine to drive fish productivity in the Gulf of Alaska.

Pollock is Pollock

03/13/2014

According to the American Fisheries Society, the scientific name for Alaska pollock has changed. But it will take several years for all the agencies that regulate trade in seafood products to update their nomenclature. In the meantime, it’s business as usual.

Bite-Sized Food for Thought: Edible QR Codes

12/02/2013

Harney Sushi, a restaurant in San Diego, is now serving up edible QR (quick response) codes along with their fish. Printed on rice paper with edible ink, the codes allow diners with smartphones to access information on the species they've ordered.

Fine Cooking on the High Seas

10/17/2013

What does a chef aboard the NOAA research ship Oregon II feed a crew of 30 hungry seamen and scientists? Learn what seafood dishes chef Walter Coghlan likes to make the crew.