Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

Pacific ocean perch adds to West Coast groundfish rebuilding success

by NOAA Fisheries 14 Dec 2017 08:44 PST
Bocaccio rockfish © Mary Nishimoto / NOAA

NOAA Fisheries has declared Pacific ocean perch rebuilt, making this the third groundfish stock to rebuild this year, following the rebuilding of bocaccio and darkblotched rockfish.

The rebound of the three groundfish species well ahead of schedule reflects sound science and management and strong partnerships among NOAA Fisheries, the Pacific Fishery Management Council and the fishing industry.

"It is remarkable that the rebuilding of Pacific ocean perch was accomplished 34 years ahead of schedule. It is the strong partnership between fishery managers and industry and the strong commitment to catch limitations that allowed it to happen."," said Barry Thom, Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region.

Pacific ocean perch was among 10 species of West Coast groundfish that NOAA Fisheries declared overfished close to 20 years ago. The agency adopted a rebuilding plan for the species under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 2000. The plan reduced commercial harvests and targeted rebuilding the species by 2051, but a new assessment found that the species has already achieved that goal.

Several strategies helped rebuild Pacific ocean perch faster than expected, including substantial reductions in both directed and incidental catch, habitat area closures, and monitoring by scientific observers. Creation of individual fishing quotas, also known as catch shares, for the West Coast groundfish fishery in 2011 also helped realize catch reductions.

The catch share program gave fishermen the flexibility to use innovative methods to harvest other, healthier groundfish stocks while avoiding species such as Pacific ocean perch so they could continue rebuilding. Catch shares also gave fishermen more discretion over how, where and when they fish so they could pursue their catch more efficiently based on the weather, market conditions, and other factors.

This newest success story adds to the growing rebuilding success of West Coast groundfish species since about 2000, with eight of 10 stocks that were declared overfished now rebuilt. Nationally, this brings the total number of stocks rebuilt by NOAA Fisheries since 2000 to 44.

Read more about the rebuilding success of other species of West Coast groundfish, here.

Related Articles

29er Europeans at Lake Garda overall
Record-breaking event closes in style More than 250 teams, 29 nations, six days of varied racing, and a fleet of young athletes pushing high-performance sailing to the next level. The 2025 29er European Championship, hosted by Fraglia Vela Riva, has officially wrapped. Posted today at 8:14 am
Dragon Edinburgh Cup in Torbay Day 1
Sunshine, lighter airs, and no shortage of high-calibre racing Tuesday 8th July welcomed the opening day of the 2025 Edinburgh Cup in Torquay with sunshine, lighter airs, and no shortage of high-calibre racing. Posted today at 7:14 am
Meet the CYCA's Admiral's Cup Team
Meet the skippers and sailors, get to know their roles and discover what makes their programs unique Meet the skippers and sailors, get to know their roles and discover what makes their programs unique. Posted today at 6:59 am
Who made the right call to get to the breeze?
And how technology is changing the Transpac Race to Hawaii Boats racing in the 2025 Transpac continue to reel in the offshore miles toward the finish line off Honolulu, Hawaii, in the 53rd edition of this historic 2,225-nautical-mile race. Posted today at 12:54 am
Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race Finish
Temptation takes line honours in record time! The 2025 Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race launched under blue skies and a steady southwesterly breeze—an ideal start that stood in sharp contrast to the wild weather of 2023. Posted today at 12:45 am
British Classic Week Day 2
An early start for Classes 1-3 as they prepared to race around the Isle of Wight It was an early start for the British Classic Week fleet on day two, as Classes 1-3 prepared to race around the Isle of Wight. Posted on 8 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 3
The leaderboard tightens at the halfway mark after today's racing in a building breeze After a frustrating day of waiting ashore on Monday, Day 3 brought back the action in Aarhus Bay with spectacular foiling conditions and a full day of intense racing. Posted on 8 Jul
Fleet advances to the last half of the AEGEAN 600
In contrast to yesterday's slow pace, the rate of progress has been much improved Most of the fleet of 59 Monohulls and Multihulls who are sailing in this year's AEGEAN 600 have either already entered the second half of the race at the island of Rhodes or are well on their way to reaching this important milestone. Posted on 8 Jul
Mediterranean Regatta season in full swing
A+T instruments seen all over Europe delivering high-level performance for racing fleets As regatta season gathers speed, A+T instruments were seen all over Europe delivering high-level performance for the racing fleets. Posted on 8 Jul
International Moth Worlds at Lake Garda Day 1
Storm cells circling Lake Garda lead to atypical and tricky conditions The 137 sailors representing 25 nations faced the first day of racing in conditions that were anything but typical for Malcesine, with unstable weather creating a complex, yet exciting, opening. Posted on 8 Jul
Lloyd Stevenson - AC Alinghi 1456x180px BOTTOMRooster 2025Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOM