--- # Data from https://www.fishwatch.gov fish: - calories: 92 physical_description: | - Female shortfin squid range from 7 to 12 inches in mantle length, while males are 7 to 10.6 inches in mantle length. - They can regulate their body color, but are primarily orange-colored with a brown stripe that extends along the top side of the mantle. human_health: texture: Firm and meaty. environmental_considerations: species_name: Shortfin Squid diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/shortfin-squid habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest shortfin squid have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Shortfin squid inhabits the continental shelf and slope waters of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland to the central east coast of Florida. - In the northwest Atlantic Ocean, shortfin squid are most often caught along the continental shelf break in depths between 150 to 275 meters. color: | Raw squid is ivory colored with orange speckling and a brown stripe that runs down the mantle. Cooked squid is opaque white. species_aliases: | [Illex squid](/species-aliases/illex-squid), [Summer squid](/species-aliases/summer-squid) image_gallery: harvest_type: Wild selenium: 44.8 mcg management: habitat: | - Shortfin squid live in deep and shallow waters on the continental shelf, continental slope, and open ocean depending on the season. - They are found in nearshore waters of the Gulf of Maine during summer and fall. - During spring, shortfin squid migrate onto the continental shelf, and during late fall, they migrate off the continental shelf. - Their egg masses float in mid-water. - Spawning occurs in the waters off Rhode Island and New Jersey. farming_methods: scientific_name: Illex illecebrosus production: fat_total: 1.38 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Summer and fall. research: fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | cc9966 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild, and subtly sweet.   health_benefits: | Squid are an excellent source of selenium, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. harvest: | - Commercial fishery - In 2018, commercial landings of shortfin squid totaled approximately 53 million pounds, and were valued at approximately $23.6 million. - Fisheries for shortfin squid reflect the species’ seasonal migrations. - The majority of landings come from Rhode Island and New Jersey. - Harvested for bait domestically, and exported for bait and food. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - The majority of shortfin squid is harvested June 1 through October 31 using small-mesh bottom trawls. The fishery is open year round, but the squid aren’t available in commercial quantities year round. - Sandy or muddy habitat, where squid are fished, is less sensitive to the impacts of trawling. - Small-mesh bottom trawls can incidentally catch marine mammals and large pelagic species, including pilot whales, common dolphin, swordfish, and a variety of sharks, ray, and tuna species. Finfish such as butterfish, hakes, longfin squid, summer flounder, herring, spiny dogfish, and Atlantic mackerel are also incidentally caught in this fishery. - Measures to prevent or minimize bycatch include: - Fishing must occur seaward of the 50-fathom depth line to reduce finfish and longfin inshore squid bycatch. - Outreach to fishermen to educate them on actions to take in the event of a marine mammal interaction. - Real-time communication to vessels regarding hotspots of marine mammal interactions. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/Squid\_Illex\_NB\_W.png title: | Shortfin Squid alt: | shortfin squid saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.358 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught shortfin squid is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 3.08 g serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the latest assessment, shortfin squid is not subject to overfishing. There is currently not enough information to determine the population size, so it is unknown. population: | The population level is unknown. The species has a lifespan of less than one year. protein: | 15.58 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/new-england-mid-atlantic) and the [Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council](http://www.mafmc.org/) manage the shortfin squid fishery. - Managed under the [Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/atlantic-mackerel-squid-and-butterfish-management-plan): - Fishermen with a limited access permit can fish for unlimited amounts of shortfin squid while the fishery is open. All other fishermen must obtain an incidental catch permit, and have possession limits. - An annual coastwide catch quota is set annually. Managers monitor annual quotas closely, as there can be large fluctuations in abundance from year to year.   cholesterol: | 233 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 44 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Shortfin squid live for less than one year. They have a high natural mortality rate, and a long spawning season. - Females can release multiple egg masses during a single spawning season, but die after they spawn. Spawning can occur year round with seasonal peaks from October to June. - Shortfin squid have extremely variable birth, growth, and maturity rates. This makes them extremely sensitive to climate-driven changes.  - They grow about one millimeter a day. - Shortfin squid are visual predators that eat crustaceans, fish, and other squid, including their own species. - They are food for many fish, including [bluefin tuna](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/western-atlantic-bluefin-tuna), [silver hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/silver-hake), [red hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/red-hake), [bluefish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/bluefish), [goosefish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/monkfish), fourspot flounder, [Atlantic cod](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-cod), sea raven, [spiny dogfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-spiny-dogfish), and [swordfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/north-atlantic-swordfish). Seabird predators include shearwaters, gannets, and fulmars. - Shortfin squid undergo daily vertical migrations between cooler deep water and warmer surface water. They are nearest the seabed during the day, and higher in the water column during the night. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - American lobster is a crustacean with a large shrimp-like body and 10 legs, two of which are large, strong claws.   - One claw is a big-toothed crusher claw for pulverizing shells, and the other is a finer-edged ripper claw, resembling a steak knife, for tearing soft flesh.   - [Male and female lobsters](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/regs/infodocs/lobster_sex_id.pdf) can be distinguished by the first pair of swimmerets (pleopods) on the upper portion of the underside of the tail. The male swimmerets are larger and more rigid. The female swimmerets are softer, smaller, and have rounded edges.   - Live lobsters are not red like those you see in a restaurant or grocery store, after they have been cooked. Most are either olive-green or greenish-brown. Some have orange, reddish, dark green, or black speckles and bluish colors in the joints of their appendages. human_health: texture: The meat is firm and somewhat fibrous. The tail meat is firmer than the meat from the claws. environmental_considerations: species_name: American Lobster diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/american-lobster habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest American lobster have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - American lobsters are found in the northwest Atlantic Ocean from Labrador to Cape Hatteras. They’re most abundant in coastal waters from Maine through New Jersey, and are also common offshore to depths of 2,300 feet from Maine through North Carolina. color: | The meat is white with red tinges. species_aliases: | [Lobster](/species-aliases/lobster) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1.JPG title: | American Lobster alt: | American Lobster - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2\_6.jpg title: | American Lobster alt: | American Lobster - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3\_5.jpg title: | American Lobster alt: | American Lobster - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/4\_0.png title: | American Lobster alt: | American Lobster - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/5\_3.jpg title: | American Lobster alt: | American Lobster harvest_type: Wild selenium: 41.4 mcg management: habitat: | - American lobsters live on the ocean floor.   - They live alone and are very territorial.   - They can live in a variety of habitats as long as there is a burrow or crevice for cover.   - Coastal lobsters like rocky areas where they can readily find shelter, although they’re sometimes found in mud bottoms where they can burrow.   - Offshore populations are most abundant along the edge of the continental shelf near underwater canyons.   - Near the coast, small lobsters do not travel much, but larger ones may travel extensively. Offshore lobsters migrate during the spring anywhere from 50 to 190 miles.   - Scientists, managers, and fishermen are concerned about the habitat conditions for American lobster in inshore Southern New England waters, particularly in Long Island Sound. Scientists believe that a combination of warmer water temperatures, hypoxia (low dissolved oxygen levels), and other stress factors resulted in lobster die-offs in western Long Island Sound in late 1999 and in 2002. If these conditions continue, future die-offs are possible. Researchers also believe that increased water temperatures in Southern New England may be driving lobsters to cooler offshore waters and disrupting the settlement of larvae in traditional coastal areas. farming_methods: scientific_name: Homarus americanus production: fat_total: 0.9 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. In New England, where most lobsters are landed, the peak harvest season extends from May to November. research: | - State scientists, in cooperation with the lobster industry, are conducting projects to assist with the effective management of the lobster resource. Many states have established [ventless trap survey](http://www.asmfc.org/fisheries-science/surveys)s to quantify the abundance of juvenile lobsters. By removing escape vents from the lobster traps and randomly placing those traps within certain depth categories and geographic areas, researchers can assess the abundance of juvenile lobsters and the potential for young lobsters to reach a size or life stage that can be caught by the fishing gear (recruitment) in the future. These surveys complement longstanding fishery-independent bottom trawl surveys conducted by NOAA Fisheries and the states. Because trawl gear cannot effectively sample rocky or shallow coastal bottom types, the ventless trap surveys attempt to fill this data gap by using fixed lobster gear without escape vents. fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#996633 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild and sweet. health_benefits: | Lobster is low in saturated fat and is a very good source of protein and selenium. The FDA [advises](https://www.fda.gov/downloads/food/guidanceregulation/ucm252395.pdf) consumers to not eat the tomalley, the light-green substance found in the lobster. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of American lobster totaled 136.7 million pounds and were valued at more than $566.5 million. - The two stocks of American lobster—Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, and Southern New England—support both inshore and offshore fisheries. The Gulf of Maine and Southern New England areas are predominantly inshore fisheries, while the Georges Bank area is predominantly an offshore fishery. Most U.S. harvest is caught in inshore waters. - There’s a reason we associate Maine with lobsters—the state has led American lobster landings for over 3 decades. Massachusetts is the second leading producer. Together, these two states produce 94 percent of the total U.S. American lobster harvest, and 94 percent of the coast-wide landings come from the Gulf of Maine lobster stock.   - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Most fishermen use traps to harvest lobster. They bait rectangular, wire-mesh traps then lower them to the ocean floor in water 15 to 1,000 feet deep. A buoy that marks the trap’s location is attached to the trap line. Fishermen haul the traps back to the surface every few days to check their catch, although the frequency varies depending on the season and the location. - The Northeast/Mid-Atlantic American lobster trap/pot fishery can incidentally entangle large whales. To reduce injuries and deaths of large whales due to fisheries interactions, the [Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/Protected/whaletrp/) was implemented in 1997. Lobstermen must follow a number of regulations to protect large whales from fishing gear. For example, lobstermen must use sinking groundlines between traps to reduce the amount of line in the water column, which reduces the potential for whales and other protected species to become entangled. In addition, lobster permit holders are required to haul their active traps at least once every 30 days. - Traps can incidentally catch finfish and invertebrates (such as crabs and conch). Regulations require traps to be configured with biodegradable escape panels or hinges on traps to prevent ghost fishing (lost gear that continues to capture lobster and other species and may pose a hazard to other marine species). Escape panels must be large enough to reduce bycatch of undersized lobsters.   - Recreational fishery: - Recreational fishermen catch lobsters in coastal waters with pots and by hand while scuba diving. Recreational fishermen with a federal lobster permit may harvest lobster in federal waters, but the lobster cannot be sold. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/Lobster\_American\_NB\_Web.png title: | American Lobster alt: | American Lobster saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.18 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught American lobster is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0.5 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2015 stock assessment](http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/55d61d73AmLobsterStockAssmt_PeerReviewReport_Aug2015_red2.pdf) conducted by the [Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission](http://www.asmfc.org/) (ASMFC), there is record high stock abundance and recruitment in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank, and record low abundance and recruitment failure in Southern New England. The Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stock is not overfished. However, the ASMFC considers the Southern New England stock severely depleted due to environmental factors and fishing pressure. Neither stock is subject to overfishing. - Since 2012, [Young of Year surveys](http://umaine.edu/wahlelab/american-lobster-settlement-index-alsi/american-lobster-settlement-index/) in the Gulf of Maine and George’s Bank stock have shown consistent declines, which could indicate future declines in recruitment and landings. population: | Above target population levels in the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. Significantly below target levels in Southern New England. protein: | 18.80 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - The states and [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/lobster/) cooperatively manage the American lobster resource and fishery under the framework of the [Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission](http://www.asmfc.org/) (ASMFC).   - Each lobster harvesting state has three members on the ASMFC lobster management board, and NOAA Fisheries has one representative on the board. Each state, and NOAA Fisheries, has one vote when deliberating management measures for American lobster. The management board looks to industry advisors to provide recommendations for managing the fishery to meet management objectives.   - States have jurisdiction for implementing measures in state waters (within 3 miles of shore), while [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/lobster/) implements complementary regulations for the American lobster fishery in offshore federal waters (3 to 200 miles from shore).   - The American lobster’s range is divided into [two stock areas and seven management areas](http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/58f8cd9aLobsterManagement_StockArea_Map_Nov2016.JPG). There are seven Lobster Conservation Management Teams, one for each management area. These teams, made up of industry representatives, recommend measures to address the specific needs in their respective management areas. Federal waters contain portions of six of the seven management areas. Only Area 6 is totally within state waters (Long Island Sound, which consists of New York and Connecticut state waters).   - Managed in state waters (within 3 miles of shore) under the [Interstate Fishery Management Plan for American Lobster](http://www.asmfc.org/species/american-lobster). Each management area has unique regulations that include: - Limits on the minimum and maximum size of lobster than can be harvested. - Trap limits control fishing effort. Each lobster vessel is limited to either a vessel-based trap allocation based on its historical fishing practices, or an area-wide trap cap (the maximum number of traps a vessel may fish in a specific area).  - Measures to protect egg-bearing females—fishermen may not harvest them and, in most areas, if one is caught in their trap, they must notch its tail fin in a “v” shape before returning it to the water. - Prohibition on possession of lobster meat and lobster parts (lobsters must be landed live and whole to ensure they are of legal size). - Gear restrictions, trap configuration requirements, and prohibition on using spears to fish for lobsters. - Restrictions on the amount of lobster that can be harvested with non-trap gear. - Monitoring and reporting requirements. - A series of annual trap reductions are underway in lobster management areas 2 and 3 to reduce both latent and active effort and scale the Southern New England lobster fishery to the size of the stock. - A [trap transfer program](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/nr/2017/July/17lobttpgphl.pdf) was initiated in 2015 that allows Federal permit holders to mitigate the impacts of the annual trap reductions by purchasing partial trap allocation from other authorized permit holders.  Others may sell allocation to other Federal lobster permit holders to downsize their own fishing operations and allow other permit holders to gain access to the trap fishery in certain management areas.   - Managed in federal waters (3 to 200 miles offshore) under regulations implemented through the [Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act](http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/management/state_federal/documents/acfcma.pdf), including: - Fishermen must have a permit to harvest lobster. A temporary moratorium on the issuance of federal lobster permits, which limits the amount of available permits to control the number of fishermen harvesting lobster, was extended indefinitely in 1999. - Limits on the minimum and maximum size of lobsters that can be harvested, which varies by management area. - Prohibition on possession of lobster meat and lobster parts (lobsters must be landed live and whole to ensure they are of legal size). - Measures to protect egg-bearing females—fishermen may not harvest them and, in most areas, if one is caught in their trap, they must notch its tail fin in a “v” shape before returning it to the water. - Gear restrictions (trap size, gear marking requirements, escape vents, and ghost panels). - Trap limits, which vary among management areas. - To improve data collection in the fishery, all federal lobster dealers must submit weekly electronic reports for all lobsters they purchase from fishermen with federal permits. Federal lobster permit holders are not required to report landings unless they have another Federal fishery permit, in addition to their Federal lobster permit, that  requires landings reports (e.g., Northeast multispecies permit). - Area-specific measures have been approved to reduce fishing exploitation on the Southern New England stock, including biological and effort control management measures. - Regulations require biodegradable escape panels or hinges on traps to prevent ghost fishing (when lost gear continues to capture lobster and other species). Escape panels must be large enough to reduce bycatch of undersized lobsters.​   - [Fisheries and Oceans Canada](http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/sustainable-durable/fisheries-peches/lobster-homard-eng.htm) manages the American lobster resource in Canadian territorial waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean. cholesterol: | 95 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 296 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - American lobsters have a long life span. It’s difficult to determine their exact age because they shed their hard shell when they molt, leaving no evidence of age. But scientists believe some American lobsters may live to be 100 years old.   - They can weigh up to 44 pounds.   - Lobsters must periodically molt in order to grow, shedding their hard, external skeleton (shell) when they grow too large for it and forming a new one. They eat voraciously after they molt, often devouring their own recently vacated shells. Eating their shell replenishes lost calcium and helps harden their new shell.   - Lobsters molt about 20 to 25 times over a period of 5 to 8 years between the time they hatch and when they are able to reproduce and reach the minimum legal size to be harvested.   - Usually, lobsters mate after the females molt. Males deposit sperm in the soft-shelled females. The female stores the sperm internally for up to a year.   - Females can have 5,000 to more than 100,000 eggs, depending on their size. The eggs are fertilized as females release them on the underside of their tails, where they carry the eggs for 9 to 11 months.   - Egg-bearing females move inshore to hatch their eggs during late spring or early summer.   - The pelagic (free-swimming) larvae molt four times before they resemble adults and settle to the bottom.   - Lobsters are opportunistic feeders, feeding on whatever prey is most available, so their diet varies regionally.   - Larvae and postlarvae are carnivorous and eat zooplankton (tiny floating animals) during their first year.   - Adults are omnivorous, feeding on crabs, mollusks, worms, sea urchins, sea stars, fish, and macroalgae.   - In general, a variety of bottom-dwelling species feed on lobster, including fish, sharks, rays, skates, octopuses, and crabs. Young lobsters are especially vulnerable to predators. Large, hard-shelled lobsters may be immune to predators (except humans). - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Yellowtail rockfish are greyish brown on top and fade to white on the belly. - Their body has trace yellow spotting. - Yellowtail tail fins are yellowish green. - Their other fins have a darker yellowish green coloration. human_health: texture: Very lean with medium to firm texture and medium sized flakes. environmental_considerations: species_name: Yellowtail rockfish diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/yellowtail-rockfish habitat_impacts: | Most fishing gear used to harvest yellowtail rockfish rarely contacts the ocean floor and has minimal impacts on habitat. Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive rocky, cold-water coral and sponge habitats from bottom trawl gear. location: | - Yellowtail rockfish are found along the Pacific coast of North America and range from Kodiak Island, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. color: | Meat is glistening bright white with a pinkish sheen. species_aliases: | [Yellowtail rockfish](/species-aliases/yellowtail-rockfish), [Greenie](/species-aliases/greenie), [Yellow sea perch](/species-aliases/yellow-sea-perch), [Rock Cod](/species-aliases/rock-cod), [Pacific Snapper](/species-aliases/pacific-snapper) image_gallery: harvest_type: Wild selenium: 63 mcg management: habitat: | - Yellowtail rockfish inhabit depths ranging from 0 to 1800 feet, and are commonly found along the middle continental shelf, near the ocean floor. - Larvae and juveniles live near the surface, while older juveniles migrate deeper to near the ocean floor. - Adults are semi-pelagic or pelagic and spend time near steep slopes and above rocky reefs. farming_methods: scientific_name: Sebastes flavidus production: fat_total: 1.34 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch of overfished and protected species. availability: | Year-round. research: | - NOAA’s [Northwest](https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/) and [Alaska](Alaska) Fisheries Science Centers survey the abundance of yellowtail rockfish off the West Coast and Alaska. - Yellowtail rockfish is not typically assessed as part of a single-species abundance survey. It is more commonly assessed along with other groundfish. fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#7a622d sugars_total: | 0 taste: | Very mild, slightly sweet flavor. health_benefits: | Rockfish are high in selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of yellowtail rockfish totaled more than 6.3 million pounds and were valued at more than $1.8 million. The majority of landings are in Oregon and Washington. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Primarily harvested with midwater trawl gear, which has minimal impacts on ocean bottom habitats. To a lesser extent, harvested with bottom trawl gear. - Midwater and bottom trawls may sometimes catch other species of fish, including overfished and protected species. - Gear restrictions, closed areas, and catch share programs limit when, where, and how much trawl fishermen can harvest to reduce bycatch of other species. - [Rockfish conservation areas](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/rockfish_areas.html) eliminate fishing in areas on the West Coast where overfished rockfish species co-occur with target stocks, like [canary rockfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/canary-rockfish). These closed areas help prevent bycatch of overfished rockfish. - Yellowtail rockfish are often caught incidentally in the [Pacific whiting](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/pacific-whiting) fishery. - Managers are working to reduce incidental catch through the use of annual catch limits and catch shares. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/Rockfish\_Yellowtail\_NB\_W.png title: | Yellowtail rockfish alt: | Yellowtail rockfish saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.34 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Yellowtail rockfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Kodiak Island Alaska to Baja California. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast, Alaska animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/YTRK_2017_Final.pdf), the northern Pacific coast stock of yellowtail rockfish is not overfished and not subject to overfishing. - The yellowtail rockfish stock on the West Coast is part of the southern Pacific coast minor shelf rockfish complex. The overfished status of this complex is unknown. The stock complex is not subject to overfishing based on [2016 catch data](https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/observation/pdf/Groundfish_Mortality_2016.pdf). population: | The northern Pacific coast stock is above its target population level. The southern Pacific coast stock is unknown. protein: | 18.36 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](http://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the yellowtail rockfish fishery on the West Coast. - Yellowtail rockfish are managed as a single stock north of Cape Mendocino, California, and southward, as part of the southern Pacific coast minor shelf rockfish complex. - Managed under the [Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/fishery-management-plan/): - Permits and limited entry to the fishery. - Limit on how much may be harvested in one fishing trip. - Certain seasons and [areas are closed](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/groundfish_closed_areas.html) to fishing. - Gear restrictions help reduce bycatch and impacts on habitat. - A [trawl rationalization catch share program](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish_catch_shares/index.html) that includes: - Catch limits based on the population status of each fish stock and divided into shares that are allocated to individual fishermen or groups. - Provisions that allow fishermen to decide how and when to catch their share. - Yellowtail rockfish have been underutilized. The recent harvest rule changes to the catch share program will allow increased catches of underutilized species, such as yellowtail and chilipepper rockfish, [lingcod](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/lingcod), and [Pacific cod](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/pacific-cod). These changes were possible because of improvements observed in other stocks that had previously constrained the harvest of fish like yellowtail rockfish due to low population levels. - [NOAA Fisheries](https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [North Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.npfmc.org/) manage yellowtail rockfish as part of the Gulf of Alaska other rockfish complex. - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska](https://www.npfmc.org/wp-content/PDFdocuments/fmp/GOA/GOAfmp.pdf): - There is no directed fishing for this species in the Gulf of Alaska, and only minor amounts are landed incidentally in other fisheries. cholesterol: | 50 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 sodium: | 74 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Yellowtail rockfish mature between three and five years old. - They can live up to 50 years. - They grow more than two feet in length. - Females can produce between 50,000 and 600,000 eggs, depending on the size of the female. - Yellowtail rockfish have internal fertilization and the females give birth to live young. - Adults feed on shellfish, such as shrimp, and small forage fish, such as anchovies. - Yellowtail rockfish are unique in that they can rapidly release gas from their swim bladders. - When caught at depth the yellowtail rockfish can avoid barotrauma that kills most other species. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Bocaccio can grow up to three feet long and weigh up to 21 pounds. - They are identifiable based on their long jaw, which extends to or past the eye socket. - Young bocaccio are light bronze with small brown spots along their sides. As they grow older, they lose their spots and darken. - Adult bocaccio have backs that are olive, burnt-orange or brown as adults. They have pink and red stomachs. human_health: texture: Lean and medium-firm, with a fine flake. environmental_considerations: species_name: Bocaccio diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/bocaccio habitat_impacts: | Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive rocky, cold-water coral and sponge habitats from bottom trawl gear. location: | - Bocaccio are found between Punta Blanca, Baja California, and the Gulf of Alaska off Krozoff and Kodiak Islands. Within this range, bocaccio is most common between Oregon and northern Baja California. - There are two partially isolated populations; one southern population centered in California, and one northern population centered in British Columbia.  color: | Whole fish should have shiny and bright skin. The raw flesh is white, but turns opaque white when cooked. species_aliases: | [Bocaccio](/species-aliases/bocaccio), [Rock Salmon](/species-aliases/rock-salmon), [Salmon Rockfish](/species-aliases/salmon-rockfish), [Pacific Red Snapper](/species-aliases/pacific-red-snapper), [Pacific Snapper](/species-aliases/pacific-snapper), [Oregon Red Snapper](/species-aliases/oregon-red-snapper), [Oregon Snapper](/species-aliases/oregon-snapper), [Longjaw](/species-aliases/longjaw), [Merou](/species-aliases/merou), [Jack](/species-aliases/jack), [Snapper](/species-aliases/snapper), [Rock Cod](/species-aliases/rock-cod), [Rockfish](/species-aliases/rockfish) image_gallery: harvest_type: Wild selenium: 63 mcg management: habitat: | - As bocaccio age, they switch from free-swimming pelagic habitat to bottom-oriented demersal habitat. - Larvae and young-of-the-year bocaccio live in the upper layers of the ocean for several months. - Juveniles settle nearshore in bottom habitats, such as rocky areas or kelp forests, and form schools. - As juveniles mature, they move offshore to greater depths. - Adult bocaccio primarily inhabit rocky habitats from 130 to 980 feet deep. They also live on coral and sponge reefs, and even artificial structures such as oil platforms. - Several sources describe bocaccio as a midwater species during at least part of its adult phase. farming_methods: scientific_name: Sebastes paucispinis production: fat_total: 1.34 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - [New Fishing Opportunities Emerge from Resurgence of West Coast Groundfish](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/new-fishing-opportunities-emerge-resurgence-west-coast-groundfish) - [Rebuilding success continues for West Coast groundfish](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/stories/2017/19_06192017_.html) - [Threatened Yelloweye and Endangered Bocaccio in Puget Sound/Georgia Basin](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/rockfish/rockfish_in_puget_sound.html) fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#8D371C sugars_total: | 0 taste: | Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor. health_benefits: | Low in saturated fat and very high in selenium, phosphorus, and potassium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery - In 2017, commercial landings of bocaccio totaled 258,001 pounds and were valued at $152,882. - Gear types, habitat impacts and bycatch - Bottom trawl gear is the predominant fishing gear used to catch bocaccio. - Bottom trawls may sometimes catch other species of fish, including overfished and protected species. - Gear restrictions, closed areas, and catch share programs limit when, where, and how much trawl fishermen can harvest to reduce bycatch of other species. - [Rockfish conservation areas](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/rockfish_areas.html) eliminate fishing in areas on the West Coast where overfished rockfish species co-occur with target stocks, like [canary rockfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/canary-rockfish). These closed areas help prevent bycatch of overfished rockfish. - Recreational fishery - Bocaccio is an important recreational fish in state waters. - State agencies encourage anglers to avoid catching rockfish intentionally, to deep-water release all released rockfish, and to relocate if they unintentionally catch rockfish. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/Bocaccio\_NB\_W.png title: | Bocaccio rockfish. alt: | Illustration of a Bocaccio rockfish. saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.34 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught bocaccio is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from California to Alaska. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast, Alaska animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/FINAL_2017_Bocaccio_Update_Assessment_February_2_2018.pdf), the bocaccio stock on the southern Pacific coast is not overfished, and is not subject to overfishing. The stock rebuilt in 2017, faster than estimated in the rebuilding plan, due in large part to several strong year classes and an improved understanding of the productivity of this stock. - Along the northern Pacific coast, bocaccio is part of the northern Pacific coast minor shelf rockfish complex and the status of this complex is unknown. - In the Gulf of Alaska, bocaccio is part of the other rockfish complex. - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Docs/2017/GOAorock.pdf), the status of this complex is unknown. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 18.36 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the bocaccio fishery on the West Coast. - Along the southern Pacific coast, bocaccio are managed as a single stock. Along the northern Pacific coast, they are managed as part of the northern Pacific coast minor shelf rockfish complex. - Managed under the [Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan](https://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/fishery-management-plan/): - Permits and limited entry to the fishery. - Limit on how much may be harvested in one fishing trip. - Certain seasons and [areas are closed](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/groundfish_closed_areas.html) to fishing. - Gear restrictions help reduce bycatch and impacts on habitat. - A [trawl rationalization catch share program](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish_catch_shares/index.html) that includes: - Catch limits based on the population status of each fish stock and divided into shares that are allocated to individual fishermen or groups. - Provisions that allow fishermen to decide how and when to catch their share. - [NOAA Fisheries](https://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [North Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.npfmc.org/) manage the bocaccio fishery in the Gulf of Alaska. Bocaccio are managed as part of the other rockfish complex. - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska](https://www.npfmc.org/wp-content/PDFdocuments/fmp/GOA/GOAfmp.pdf): - There is no directed fishing for this species in Alaska, and only minor amounts are landed incidentally in other fisheries. - Permits are required. - Bottom contact gear is prohibited in the Gulf of Alaska Coral and Alaska Seamount Habitat Protection Areas to protect sensitive habitat. - Gear restrictions help reduce bycatch. - Annual catch limits are in place to prevent overfishing. - Managed under the [Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fishery Management Plan](https://www.npfmc.org/wp-content/PDFdocuments/fmp/BSAI/BSAIfmp.pdf).  Bocaccio are managed as part of the other rockfish complex, but they are not present in significant numbers. cholesterol: | 50 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 sodium: | 74 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Bocaccio is a species of rockfish. Rockfishes are unusual among the bony fishes in that fertilization and embryo development is internal and female rockfish give birth to live larval young. - Like most other species of rockfish, bocaccio are long-lived. Bocaccio mature and begin to reproduce between ages 4 and 7 years old, and they can live to be 50 years old. - Bocaccio larvae are opportunistic feeders. Early on, larvae mostly eat copepod nauplii and eat some invertebrate eggs. As they grow, larvae start eating copepodites, adult copepods, and euphausiids. - Within the first year of their lives, bocaccio begin foraging on other young fishes. - Adult bocaccio mostly eat fish. Their preferred meal is other rockfishes, but they will also eat [sablefish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/sablefish), anchovies, lantern fish and squid. - Female bocaccio may spawn one to three times per season. They are highly fecund for rockfish and have been recorded with anywhere from 290 thousand up to 1.9 million eggs in the ovaries at one time. - In the Southern California Bight, Bocaccio spawn from October to July, peaking in January. Off central and northern California, Bocaccio spawn from January to May and peak in February. - calories: 110 physical_description: | - Atlantic halibut can be distinguished from other right-eyed flounders by their large size, concave caudal fin, large, gaping mouth, and arched lateral line. - One of the largest fish found in the Gulf of Maine. human_health: texture: A lean fish with fine-grained, dense meat. When cooked, the meat is firm yet flaky and tender. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Halibut diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-halibut habitat_impacts: | Trawl gear used to harvest Atlantic halibut have minimal or temporary effects on habitat. Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive habitats from bottom trawl gear. Hook and line gear has little or no impact on habitat. location: | - Atlantic halibut are found from Labrador and Greenland to Iceland, and from the Barents Sea south to the Bay of Biscay and Virginia. - In U.S. waters, halibut is most common in the Gulf of Maine. color: | Uncooked, white and almost translucent. It should not look dull, yellowish or dried out. When cooked, the meat is white. species_aliases: | [Atlantic halibut](/species-aliases/atlantic-halibut), [Halibut](/species-aliases/halibut) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1%20-%20atl\_halibut\_noa.jpg title: | Atlantic halibut face and mouth. Photo credit: NOAA. alt: | Picture of an Atlantic halibut face and mouth. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2%20-%20nefsc.jpg title: | Atlantic halibut. Photo credit: NOAA. alt: | Picture of Atlantic halibut. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3%20-%20halibut2\_fullsize.jpg title: | Picture of Atlantic halibut. Photo credit: NOAA. alt: | Picture of Atlantic halibut. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Atlantic halibut are found in the temperate and arctic waters of the northern Atlantic. - They live in coastal to upper slope areas. - Atlantic halibut are demersal fish that live on or near sand, gravel or clay bottoms at depths of between 160 and 6,560 feet. farming_methods: scientific_name: Hippoglossus hippoglossus production: fat_total: 2.29 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Scientists at NOAA’s [Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) conduct research bottom trawl surveys throughout the Northeast continental shelf every year during the fall and spring. These surveys collect data on the environment as well as biological samples from fish caught during research trawling. The data from these and other sources are used by scientists in stock assessments to estimate population size and fishing pressure. fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#7a622d sugars_total: | 0 taste: | Halibut has a very mild, sweet taste. health_benefits: | Halibut is low in saturated fat and sodium, and is a very good source of protein, niacin, phosphorus, and selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of Atlantic halibut totaled 242,105 pounds and were valued at more than $1.4 million. - Regulations include a minimum fish size and a limit of one fish per vessel per trip in federal waters. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Halibut are commonly harvested using trawl nets, bottom longlines, and rod and reel. - Trawl gear used to harvest halibut can impact habitat, depending on where they are used. Trawl gear can incidentally catch other fish and marine mammals. - Longlines, and rod and reel used to harvest halibut have little to no impact on habitat. - Regulations close key areas to fishing year-round or seasonally to protect habitat and spawning aggregations. - Restrictions on the size of gear that makes contact with the bottom in certain areas also help reduce habitat impacts. - Fishermen follow a number of strict regulations and use modified fishing gear to reduce bycatch of other species. - Recreational fishery: - Halibut are sometimes targeted by recreational anglers, but are most often encountered when targeting other groundfish species like cod and haddock. - [Regulations](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/recfishing/regs/index.html) include a minimum fish size and a limit of one fish per vessel per trip in federal waters. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic-halibut-illustration.png title: | Illustration of Atlantic Halibut. alt: | Illustration of Atlantic Halibut. saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.325 g quote: | Although populations are well below target levels, U.S. wild-caught Atlantic halibut is still a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed under a rebuilding plan that allows limited harvest by U.S. fishermen. carbohydrate: | 0 serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | Wild-caught from Maine to Connecticut. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - The Atlantic halibut stock is at a very low level. Fishing is still allowed, but at reduced levels. - According to the [2012 stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1206/), the Atlantic halibut stock is overfished, but is not subject to overfishing. The estimated biomass is only 3 percent of its target level. It will remain in a rebuilding plan for the foreseeable future. population: | Significantly below target population levels. protein: | 20.81 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/multispecies/) and the [New England Fishery Management Council](https://www.nefmc.org/) manage Atlantic halibut. - Atlantic halibut, along with other groundfish in New England waters, are managed under the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan, which includes: - Permitting requirements for commercial vessels. - Separate management measures for recreational vessels. - Year-round and seasonal area closures to protect spawning fish and habitat. - Minimum fish sizes to prevent harvest of juvenile fish. - Annual catch limits, based on best available science. - An optional sector ([catch share](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-and-policies/catch-shares)) program can be used for cod and other groundfish species. The sector program allows fishermen to form harvesting cooperatives and work together to decide when, where, and how they harvest fish. cholesterol: | 32 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 sodium: | 54 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Atlantic halibut is the largest species of flatfish in the world. - Atlantic halibut can reach up to 15 feet in length - The largest Atlantic halibut recorded was taken off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, and weighed 615 pounds (eviscerated with the head still attached). It likely weighed 700 pounds when it was alive. - It is a long-lived, late-maturing species that can live up to 50 years. - Average age at maturity is about 10 years. - Full grown females average 100 to 150 pounds, while males tend to be smaller. - Females are batch spawners, producing several batches of eggs each year. - In Canadian waters, Atlantic halibut spawn from late winter to early spring, while spawning can last through September for fish from Georges Bank to the Grand Banks. - Halibut food preferences vary by fish size: smaller fish (up to 12 inches in length) feed almost exclusively on invertebrates. The proportion of fish in the diet increases as the fish grow in size until they feed almost exclusively on fishes when they reach approximately 31 inches. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Shortspine thornyhead have elongated bodies and large heads. - They have a strong spiny ridge and 16 dorsal spines. - They are bright red or orange red in color, and often have white patches on their sides, backs, cheeks and spiny dorsal fin tips when seen underwater. - Their fins can have black patches and there may be dark spots or speckles on their sides. human_health: texture: Firm, coarse flake. environmental_considerations: species_name: Shortspine Thornyhead diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/shortspine-thornyhead habitat_impacts: | The trawl, longline, and pot gear used to harvest shortspine thornyhead have minimal or temporary effects on habitat. Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive rocky, cold-water coral, and sponge habitats from bottom trawl gear. location: | - Shortspine thornyhead are found from the Bering Sea to Baja California, Mexico. color: | White. species_aliases: | [Thornyhead](/species-aliases/thornyhead), [Idiot fish](/species-aliases/idiot-fish), [Idiot cod](/species-aliases/idiot-cod), [Rockfish](/species-aliases/rockfish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1%20photo-west-coast-region-photo-gallery.jpg title: | Close-up photo of a shortspine thornyhead. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Close-up photo of a shortspine thornyhead. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2%20basket%20of%20shortspine%20thornyhead.jpg title: | Basket of shortspine thornyhead. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Basket of shortspine thornyhead. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3%20graphic%20with%20morphology%20ID\_large.jpg title: | Shortspine thornyhead graphic identifying several physical characteristics, including head spines, pelvic and anal fins. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Shortspine thornyhead graphic identifying several physical characteristics, including head spines, pelvic and anal fins. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/4%20Head-on%20view%20of%20shortspine%20thornyhead.jpg title: | Head-on view of shortspine thornyhead. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Head-on view of shortspine thornyhead. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/5%20shortspine%20thornyhead%20amongst%20its%20habitat.jpg title: | Shortspine thornyhead rockfish snuggled amongst a sea star, smaller brittle stars, and sea cucumbers with white tentacles on a mixed rocky and mud-covered habitat. (Photo credit: NOAA/OER) alt: | Shortspine thornyhead rockfish snuggled amongst a sea star, smaller brittle stars, and sea cucumbers with white tentacles on a mixed rocky and mud-covered habitat. (Photo credit: NOAA/OER) harvest_type: Wild selenium: 63 mcg management: habitat: | - Shortspine thornyhead can live in depths up to 1500 meters, though they are more commonly found between 55 and 465 meters. farming_methods: scientific_name: Sebastolobus alascanus production: fat_total: 1.34 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch of overfished and protected species. availability: | Year-round. research: | [Tagging study of shortspine thornyhead in Alaska](http://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201700202112) confirms that the management range is appropriate. fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#ab3539 sugars_total: | 0 taste: | Sweet and mild. health_benefits: | Rockfish are high in selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of shortspine thornyhead totaled more than 2.1 million pounds and were valued at approximately $4.2 million. The majority of landings are in California and Oregon. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - The trawl, longline, and pot gear used to harvest shortspine thornyhead have minimal or temporary effects on habitat. Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive rocky, cold-water coral and sponge habitats from bottom trawl gear. - In the Gulf of Alaska, they are mainly caught with trawl and longline gear as bycatch in the rockfish and sablefish fisheries. On the Pacific Coast, they are targeted in the rockfish fishery with bottom trawl, longline, and pot gear. - Recreational fishery: - Thornyheads are occasionally caught in recreational fisheries but are not often targeted, due to the complications of deep-sea fishing. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/shortspine-thornyhead-illustration.png title: | Illustration of shortspine thornyhead. alt: | Illustration of shortspine thornyhead. saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.34 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught shortspine thornyhead is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from the Bering Sea to Baja California, Mexico. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2013 stock assessment](https://www.pcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/Shortspine_2013_Assessment.pdf), shortspine thornyhead on the Pacific Coast are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing based on the [2016 catch data](https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/observation/pdf/Groundfish_Mortality_2016.pdf). - In the Gulf of Alaska, shortspine thornyhead are part of the thornyhead rockfish complex, which also contains longspine and broadfin thornyhead. - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/2018-assessment-thornyhead-stock-complex-gulf-alaska), the status of this complex is unknown. - According to the 2017 catch data, the complex was not subject to overfishing, and the fishery’s total allowable catch has not been attained since 1995. - In the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, shortspine thornyhead are part of the other rockfish complex. - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/data/2018-assessment-other-rockfish-stock-complex-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands), the status of this complex is unknown. - According to the 2017 catch data, the complex was not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels on the Pacific Coast. protein: | 18.36 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](http://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the shortspine thornyhead fishery on the West Coast. - Managed under the [Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/fishery-management-plan/): - Permits and limited entry to the fishery. - Limit on how much may be harvested in one fishing trip. - Certain seasons and [areas are closed](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/groundfish_closed_areas.html) to fishing. - Gear restrictions help reduce bycatch and impacts on habitat. - A [trawl rationalization catch share program](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish_catch_shares/index.html) that includes: - Catch limits based on the population status of each fish stock and divided into shares that are allocated to individual fishermen or groups. - Provisions that allow fishermen to decide how and when to catch their share. - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska) and the [North Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.npfmc.org/) manage shortspine thornyhead as part of the thornyhead complex in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and the other rockfish complex in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands (BSAI). - Managed under the Fishery Management Plans for Groundfish of the [Gulf of Alaska](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/groundfish-gulf-alaska-management-plan) and [Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/groundfish-bering-sea-and-aleutian-islands-management-plan): - Thornyheads are managed as a “bycatch only” fishery in the GOA because they are nearly always taken in fisheries directed at sablefish and other rockfish. - Directed fishing on thornyhead exclusively is not permitted. cholesterol: | 50 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 sodium: | 74 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Shortspine thornyheads grow slowly and may reach lengths up to 80 centimeters. - They may live 80 to 100 years. - Females grow larger than males, and reach maturity around 18 centimeters, or 8 to 10 years of age. - Shortspine thornyhead spawn pelagic, gelatinous masses. - They spawn between December and May along the West Coast and between April and May in the Gulf of Alaska. - Shortspine feed on shrimp, crabs, zooplankton, amphipods, and other benthic invertebrates. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Adult canary rockfish are bright yellow/orange mottling above and gray underneath, three orange stripes across the head, and orange fins. - Animals less than 14 inches long have dark markings on the posterior part of the spiny dorsal fin. - Adults have gray along the lateral line. - The genus name Sebastes is Greek for "magnificent" and the species name pinniger is Latin for "large-finned." human_health: texture: Lean and medium-firm, with a fine flake. environmental_considerations: species_name: Canary Rockfish diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/canary-rockfish habitat_impacts: | Most fishing gear used to harvest canary rockfish rarely contacts the ocean floor and has minimal impacts on habitat. Area closures and gear restrictions protect sensitive rocky, cold-water coral and sponge habitats from bottom trawl gear. location: | - Canary rockfish are found between Punta Colnett, Baja California, and the Western Gulf of Alaska. Within this range, canary rockfish are most common off the coast of central Oregon. color: | Raw flesh varies from light pink or translucent, to pink, to red, and turns white when cooked. species_aliases: | [Canaries](/species-aliases/canaries), [Canary rockcod](/species-aliases/canary-rockcod), [Rockfish](/species-aliases/rockfish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/Canary%20rockfish%20captured%20on%20a%20research%20trawl%20Credit%20NOAA.jpg title: | Canary rockfish caught in a research trawl. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Canary rockfish caught in a research trawl. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/PHOTO%20-%20canary%20rockfish%20-%2004182016%20-%20NOAA%20-%202240x1068%20-%20LANDSCAPE.jpg title: | Canary rockfish. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Canary rockfish. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/pinniger.jpg title: | Canary rockfish graphic identifying several physical characteristics, including head spines, lateral line, pelvic and anal fins. (Photo credit: NOAA) alt: | Canary rockfish graphic identifying several physical characteristics, including head spines, lateral line, pelvic and anal fins. (Photo credit: NOAA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/UCM059680%20from%20FDA%20whole.jpg title: | Canary rockfish specimen of whole fish. (Photo credit: FDA) alt: | Canary rockfish specimen of whole fish. (Photo credit: FDA) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/UCM059650%20from%20FDA%20filet.jpg title: | Canary rockfish specimen of fish filet. (Photo credit: FDA) alt: | Canary rockfish specimen of fish filet. (Photo credit: FDA) harvest_type: Wild selenium: 63 mcg management: habitat: | - Canary rockfish primarily inhabit waters 160 to 820 feet deep but may be found to 1400 feet. - Larvae are found in surface waters and may be distributed over a wide area extending several hundred miles offshore. - Larvae and small juvenile rockfish may remain in open waters for several months, being passively dispersed by ocean currents. - Juveniles and subadults tend to be more common than adults in shallow water and are associated with rocky reefs, kelp canopies, and artificial structures, such as piers and oil platforms. - Adults generally move into deeper water as they increase in size and age but usually exhibit strong site fidelity to rocky bottoms and outcrops where they hover in loose groups just above the bottom. farming_methods: scientific_name: Sebastes pinniger production: fat_total: 1.34 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch of overfished and protected species. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Between 2014-2016, charter boat captains and volunteer anglers collected 100 rare rockfish in the Puget Sound region. Three species had been listed as threatened or endangered, and NOAA looked to local ecological knowledge for the scientific sampling required for recovery. Genetic analyses from these fishing trips provided new information, contributed to the [delisting of canary rockfish](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/newsroom/2017/28_noaa_fisheries_delists_canary_rockfish_in_puget_sound_based_on_new_findings.html), and expanded protective boundaries for yelloweye rockfish. fishing_rate: | At recommended levels on the Pacific Coast. quote_background_color: | \#d99d57 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Delicate, nutty, sweet flavor. health_benefits: | Rockfish are high in selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2016, commercial landings of canary rockfish totaled 54,737 pounds and were valued at $ 27,144. The majority of landings are in Oregon and Washington. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Primarily harvested with midwater trawl gear, which has minimal impacts on ocean bottom habitats. To a lesser extent, harvested with bottom trawl gear. - Midwater and bottom trawls may sometimes catch other species of fish, including overfished and protected species. - Gear restrictions, closed areas, and catch share programs limit when, where, and how much trawl fishermen can harvest to reduce bycatch of other species. - [Rockfish conservation areas](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/rockfish_areas.html) eliminate fishing in areas on the West Coast where overfished rockfish species co-occur with target stocks, like canary rockfish. These closed areas help prevent bycatch of overfished rockfish. - Canary rockfish are often caught incidentally in the Pacific whiting fishery. - Managers are working to reduce incidental catch through the use of annual catch limits and catch shares. - Recreational fishery: - Recreational anglers fish for canary rockfish, but they comprise only a minor part of recreational groundfish fisheries. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/canary%20rockfish.png title: | Canary rockfish illustration. alt: | Canary rockfish illustration. saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.34 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught canary rockfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from California to Alaska. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast, Alaska animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/stock-assessments/by-species/canary-rockfish/), the canary rockfish stock on the West Coast is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing based on [2016 catch data](https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/divisions/fram/observation/pdf/Groundfish_Mortality_2016.pdf). This stock had been overfished and was successfully rebuilt in 2015. - The Puget Sound/Georgia Basin distinct population segment of canary rockfish was listed under the ESA in 2010 and delisted in 2017. There is more information about this in the Research section. - In the Gulf of Alaska, canary rockfish are assessed as part of two stock complexes with other demersal shelf rockfish. - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Docs/2017/GOAdsr.pdf), the status of the demersal shelf rockfish complex is unknown. - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/REFM/Docs/2017/GOAorock.pdf), the status of the other rockfish complex is unknown. population: | Above target population levels on the Pacific Coast. protein: | 18.36 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](http://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the canary rockfish fishery on the West Coast. - Managed under the [Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.pcouncil.org/groundfish/fishery-management-plan/): - Permits and limited entry to the fishery. - Limit on how much may be harvested in one fishing trip. - Certain seasons and [areas are closed](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/management/groundfish_closures/groundfish_closed_areas.html) to fishing. - Gear restrictions help reduce bycatch and impacts on habitat. - A [trawl rationalization catch share program](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/fisheries/groundfish_catch_shares/index.html) that includes: - Catch limits based on the population status of each fish stock and divided into shares that are allocated to individual fishermen or groups. - Provisions that allow fishermen to decide how and when to catch their share. - Prior to the canary rockfish stock rebuilding, fishing for other species like Dover sole and black cod was limited by canary rockfish catch limits. Now that the canary rockfish stock has rebuilt, fishermen can catch and land more of all these species. - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska) and the [North Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.npfmc.org/) manage canary rockfish as part of the Gulf of Alaska demersal shelf rockfish (DSR) complex. - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Gulf of Alaska](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/groundfish-gulf-alaska-management-plan): - There is no directed fishing for this species in Alaska, and only minor amounts are landed incidentally in other fisheries. - The State of Alaska manages the DSR complex in the [Southeast Outside district of the Gulf of Alaska](http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyareasoutheast.rockfish_retention_map). cholesterol: | 50 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 74 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Canary rockfish are large rockfish that reach up to 2.5 feet in length and 10 pounds. - They can live up to 75 years. - Approximately 50 percent of adult canary rockfish are mature at 14 inches total length (about 5 to 6 years of age). - Rockfishes are unusual among the bony fishes in that fertilization and embryo development is internal and female rockfish give birth to live larval young. - Female can have 260,000 to 1.9 million eggs, considerably more than many other rockfish species. - Larval rockfish feed on diatoms, dinoflagellates, tintinnids, and cladocerans. - Juveniles consume copepods and euphausiids of all life stages. - Adults eat demersal invertebrates and small fishes, including other species of rockfish. - calories: 92 physical_description: | - Black grouper have an olive or gray body, with black blotches and brassy spots. - Their cheeks are gently rounded. human_health: texture: Firm. environmental_considerations: species_name: Black Grouper diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/black-grouper habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest black grouper have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Black grouper are found in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil. - They are particularly associated with the southern Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Cuba, the Bahamas, and throughout the Caribbean. - The US stock primarily occurs in the Florida Keys. color: species_aliases: | [Grouper](/species-aliases/grouper), [Blackfin grouper](/species-aliases/blackfin-grouper), [Marbled rockfish](/species-aliases/marbled-rockfish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/black\_grouper\_whsa\_sd.jpg title: | Black grouper on display at the Woods Hole Science Aquarium. alt: | Black grouper on display at the Woods Hole Science Aquarium. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/black%20grouper%20by%20Anik%20Clemens.jpg title: | Black grouper. (Photo credit: Anik Clemens) alt: | Black grouper. (Photo credit: Anik Clemens) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/black%20grouper%20by%20Nick%20Farmer.jpg title: | Black Grouper. (Photo credit: Nick Farmer) alt: | Black Grouper. (Photo credit: Nick Farmer) harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Juvenile black grouper can occur in seagrass and oyster rubble habitat in the Carolinas, and along reefs in the Florida Keys and in Brazil. - Adults prefer rocky bottoms, drop-off walls and ledges, caves, crevices, and coral and artificial reefs. - Black grouper are relatively sedentary and can remain in one particular site for some time. - They move to progressively deeper waters as they age. - They are found inshore up to depths of 656 feet (200 meters). - Adults are solitary, but in some instances form small groups. - Adults make seasonal migrations to spawning sites where they form large spawning aggregations. farming_methods: scientific_name: Mycteroperca bonaci production: fat_total: 1.02 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round in the Gulf of Mexico. There are seasonal closures from January through April in the South Atlantic and from February through April in the U.S Caribbean. research: | - [First U.S. black grouper spawning site identified](https://mote.org/news/article/mote-scientist-identifies-first-u.s.-black-grouper-spawning-site). - [A passive acoustic survey of fish sound production at Riley’s Hump within Tortugas South Ecological Reserve: implications regarding spawning and habitat use](https://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/spo/FishBull/1141/locascio.pdf). fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#8c7f63 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Grouper has a mild but distinct flavor, somewhere between bass and halibut. Gag is sometimes mistakenly referred to as black grouper in the market. The two species are very similar in taste and texture. health_benefits: | Grouper is low in saturated fat. It is a good source of vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, potassium, protein and selenium. More information on [health and seafood](https://www.fishwatch.gov/eating-seafood/health). harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2016, commercial landings of black grouper totaled 123,526 pounds and were valued at $530,408. Landings are primarily from the South Atlantic. There are limited landings in the U.S. Caribbean. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Commercial fishermen mainly use hook-and-line gear, including longlines and handlines, to harvest black grouper. - Trawl gear, fish traps, and bottom longlines are prohibited in some areas to reduce bycatch. Several areas are closed to all fishing to protect snappers and groupers, including black grouper. - Sea turtles and other reef fishes, such as snappers and groupers, can be incidentally caught while fishing for black grouper. - In certain areas, fishermen are required to use circle hooks to improve the chance of survival of any unintentionally caught fish and to reduce turtle hookings. - Commercial and charterboat/headboat reef fish fishermen must use appropriate release gear and follow handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for any incidentally caught [sea turtles](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_sa/turtle_sawfish_release/index.html). - Fishermen are encouraged to use [venting tools](https://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/) or [fish descenders](http://catchandrelease.org/descending-and-venting.html) when fish are caught showing signs of barotrauma. Barotrauma occurs when reef fish are quickly brought to the surface by hook-and-line and the gas in their swim bladders expands. [Venting tools](https://www.flseagrant.org/fisheries/venting/) help deflate the expanded abdominal cavity, potentially reduce injury to the fish, and make it easier to return to deep water. - Recreational fishery: - Black grouper is a popular fish among recreational fishermen in the South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. - In the South Atlantic: - Annual catch limits and accountability measures. - Bag and size limits. - The fishery is closed during the spawning season (from January through April). - In the Gulf of Mexico: - Annual catch limits and accountability measures. - Bag and size limits. - The fishery is closed during the spawning season (from February 1 through March 31) in deep water (greater than 120 feet) to protect spawning aggregations. - In the U.S. Caribbean: - Annual catch limits - Seasonal closure for black, red, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowedge groupers from February 1 through April 30. - Bag and vessel limits. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/black-grouper-illustration.png title: | black grouper illustration alt: | black grouper illustration saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.233 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught black grouper is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from South Carolina to Florida, and in the Caribbean. noaa_fisheries_region: | Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2010 stock assessment (SEDAR 19)](http://sedarweb.org/sedar-19), Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic black grouper are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. - Caribbean black grouper are not subject to overfishing. The overfished status is unknown. population: | Above target population levels in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. protein: | 19.38 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/southeast) and the [South Atlantic](http://www.safmc.net/), [Gulf of Mexico](http://www.gulfcouncil.org/), and [Caribbean](https://www.caribbeanfmc.com/index.php) Fishery Management Councils manage the black grouper fishery: - In the South Atlantic, managed under the [Snapper-Grouper Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/south-atlantic-snapper-grouper-fishery-management-plan): - Commercial fishermen must have a permit to fish, land, or sell black grouper. Managers limit the number of available permits to control the number of fishermen harvesting black grouper. - Annual catch limits are used for black grouper in the commercial and recreational fisheries. These fisheries are closed when their annual catch limit is projected to be met. - Both the commercial and recreational fisheries have size limits to reduce harvest of immature black grouper. - The commercial and recreational fishing seasons are closed from January through April to protect black grouper during their peak spawning period. - Gear restrictions are used to reduce bycatch and protect habitat. - There are eight deep-water marine protected areas and several spawning special management zones to protect habitats. The [Oculina Experimental Closed Area](http://www.safmc.net/managed-areas/oculina-bank) is closed to fishing for and possession of all snappers and groupers to protect deepwater coral habitat and the reef fish it supports. - In the Gulf of Mexico, managed under the [Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/gulf-mexico-reef-fish-fishery-management-plan): - Commercial vessels must have a reef fish permit and individual fishing quota (IFQ) allocation to harvest black grouper. - Black grouper is part of the Other Shallow-Water Grouper catch share category in the IFQ program. - The annual catch limit is allocated between the commercial (76 percent) and recreational (24 percent) fisheries. - The IFQ program ([catch shares](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-and-policies/catch-shares)) allocates the commercial catch limit among shareholders with measures to prevent fishermen from harvesting more than their individual allocation. - To reduce bycatch, there are restrictions on the type of gear fishermen may use and where they can fish. - Minimum size limits protect immature black grouper. - Year-round and/or seasonal area closures for commercial and recreational sectors to protect spawning groupers. - Commercial data reporting requirements. - In the U.S. Caribbean, managed under the [Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan](https://www.caribbeanfmc.com/fishery-management/fishery-management-plans): - Annual catch limits. All groupers are managed as a single block throughout the U.S. Caribbean. Groupers are managed separately by commercial and recreational sector in Puerto Rico. - Seasonal closure for black, red, tiger, yellowfin, and yellowedge groupers from February 1 through April 30. cholesterol: | 37 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 53 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Black grouper grow up to five feet long and can weigh up to 180 pounds. - They can live up to 30 years old. - They begin life as a female and some change into males as they grow – usually between two and four feet in length or 11 and 14 years old. - The overall sex ratio is generally one male for every four females. - Black grouper are solitary fish until spawning season, May through August, where they aggregate and spawn in huge numbers. - Eggs are fertilized externally, and float with the currents. - Young black grouper feed on crustaceans, mostly shrimp. - Adults feed on other fish and squid. - Black grouper have large, powerful jaws that they use to ambush their prey. - They do not have teeth, and instead use their mouth and gills to suck up their prey. - They also have teeth plates inside their throat that prevent prey from escaping after being swallowed. - Black grouper take advantage of other species’ reproductive aggregations for feeding. - Sharks prey upon large black grouper, while other grouper and moray eels prey upon smaller ones. - calories: 120 physical_description: | - Striped marlin are large, oceanic fish with long, round bills, small teeth, and a tall dorsal fin. - Their bodies are dark blue-black on the top and fade to a silvery white on the bottom. - They have rows of blue colored stripes made up of smaller round dots or narrow bands. human_health: texture: Firm. environmental_considerations: species_name: Striped Marlin diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/striped-marlin habitat_impacts: | Gear used to harvest striped marlin rarely contacts the ocean floor, so habitat impacts are minimal. location: | Striped marlin live throughout tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans. color: | Varies from light pink to orange-red. Orange-red meat is desired by the sashimi market. species_aliases: | [Nairagi](/species-aliases/nairagi), [A‘u](/species-aliases/%E2%80%98u), [Makijki](/species-aliases/makijki), [Barred marlin](/species-aliases/barred-marlin), [Spikefish](/species-aliases/spikefish), [Striped swordfish](/species-aliases/striped-swordfish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/marlin%20david%20itano\_from%20SWFSC%20research%20page.PNG title: | Striped marlin near buoy mooring. Photo credit David Itano. alt: | Striped marlin near buoy mooring. Photo credit David Itano. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/obs\_striped\_marlin1\_from%20PIRO%20observer%20page.jpg title: | Striped marlin encountered in the Hawaii and/or American Samoa Longline Observer Programs. alt: | Striped marlin encountered in the Hawaii and/or American Samoa Longline Observer Programs. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 110 mcg management: habitat: | - Striped marlin prefer water temperatures of 20-25˚ C. - Acoustic telemetry studies indicate that they spend 86 percent of their time in the surface layer above the thermocline (a layer above and below which the water is at different temperatures). farming_methods: scientific_name: Kajikia audax production: fat_total: 2.5 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. Striped marlin are caught incidentally in some fisheries that target tunas and swordfish. availability: | Striped marlin is caught year-round, but the majority is caught between November and June. research: | - Researchers at Stanford University and the International Game Fish Association are investigating the movements of marlin through the [Great Marlin Race](http://igmr.igfa.org/Conserve/IGMR.aspx). - The [Global Tagging of Pelagic Predators](http://www.gtopp.org/) program is an international collaborative effort that tracks the location of predators (such as marlin and sharks) in the ocean to better understand how to protect these pelagic animals. - [University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Large Pelagics Research Center](https://www.umass.edu/newsoffice/article/pacific-wide-study-reveals-striped-marlins) collaborated with the University of Southern California and the Conservation Science Institute of Waikoloa, Hawaii, to investigate the vertical habitat of striped marlin. fishing_rate: | At recommended level in the eastern Pacific. Reduced to end overfishing in the western and central North Pacific. quote_background_color: | \#204ab7 sugars_total: | 0 taste: | Distinctive flavor similar to but more pronounced than swordfish. It is considered the finest eating of all marlin species. health_benefits: | Striped marlin is an excellent source of extra-lean protein. It is low in saturated fat and sodium. It is rich in niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, phosphorus, selenium, and omega-3 fatty acids. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of Pacific striped marlin totaled more than 1 million pounds and were valued at more than $1.6 million. - The [Billfish Conservation Act](https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/112/hr2706/text), along with existing billfish regulations, prohibits the sale and commercial possession of billfish and billfish products. However, those that are caught in Hawaii and the Pacific Insular Areas (which includes American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands) are exempt and can be sold. - Prohibitions on the sale of striped marlin on the U.S. West Coast provide a strong disincentive for commercial fishermen to catch striped marlin. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Marlin are primarily caught incidentally in pelagic longline commercial fisheries for tuna and swordfish. - U.S. pelagic longline fishermen, who target tuna and swordfish and may incidentally catch striped marlin, are required to use specific tools and handling techniques to mitigate bycatch of sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. The Hawaii longline regulation summary can be found [here](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/hawaii-pelagic-longline-regulation-summary). - If too many interactions with sea turtles occur, NOAA Fisheries closes the fishery for the remainder of the year. - To prevent seabird interactions, deep and shallow-set longline vessels must either deploy longline gear from the side of the vessel (as opposed to the back of the vessel) or use blue-dyed bait (which is less visible to seabirds). - In the deep-set longline sector, vessels must use circle hooks and certain gear setups to allow whales to bend the hooks and escape an incidental hooking. - Time-area closures also limit and prevent interactions between pelagic longline gear and non-target species. - Recreational fishery: - Striped marlin are a favorite target for recreational fishermen and one of the most sought-after billfish in the region because the fish are acrobatic and tend to put up an incredible fight when hooked. - Hawaii hosts one of the largest billfish tournaments in the United States. Most fish caught in recreational tournaments are tagged and released. Tournament proceeds, tackle, and trip-related expenditures contribute significantly to local economies. - There is little bycatch associated with the recreational fishery. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/striped-marlin-illustration.png title: | Striped Marlin alt: | Striped Marlin saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 1 quote: | U.S. wild-caught striped marlin is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 serving_weight: | 113 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from waters around Hawaii, other U.S. Pacific Islands, and the high seas. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast, Pacific Islands animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2010 stock assessment](http://www.iattc.org/StockAssessmentReportsENG.htm), the Eastern Pacific stock is not overfished and not subject to overfishing. The [Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)](https://www.iattc.org/HomeENG.htm) conducted this assessment. - According to the [2015 stock assessment](http://isc.fra.go.jp/pdf/ISC15/Annex11_WCNPO_STM_ASSESSMENT_REPORT_2015.pdf), the Western and Central North Pacific stock is overfished and subject to overfishing. The overfished status of this stock of striped marlin is due to international fishing pressure. Because of this, the stock is not being managed under a rebuilding plan as would be required for purely domestic fish stocks. - The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), of which the United States is a member, has agreed to international conservation and management measures for this species. While these current measures may not be sufficient in ending overfishing or rebuilding the stock, NOAA Fisheries continues to work with the Western Pacific and Pacific Fishery Management Councils and the U.S. Department of State to recommend or propose effective management measures to be adopted by the WCPFC. - Population assessments for the Western and Central North Pacific striped marlin stock are conducted by the [Billfish Working Group](http://isc.fra.go.jp/working_groups/billfish.html) of the [International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-Like Species in the North Pacific Ocean (ISC)](http://isc.fra.go.jp/). NOAA Fisheries scientists participate in the ISC assessments and contribute relevant U.S. fishery data. population: | Above target population level in the eastern Pacific. Significantly below target population level in the western and central Pacific due to international fishing. Measures to rebuild the stock are in place in U.S. and international waters. protein: | 24 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands) and the [Western Pacific Fishery Management Council](http://www.wpcouncil.org/) manage the Pacific striped marlin fishery domestically. - Managed under the [Fishery Ecosystem Plan for Pacific Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific Region](http://www.wpcouncil.org/fep/WPRFMC%20Pelagic%20FEP%20%282009-09-21%29.pdf): - Entry to this fishery is limited to a maximum of 164 vessels. - Permits and logbooks are required. - Observers are required on all Hawaii-based vessels using longlines. - [NOAA Fisheries vessel monitoring system program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement/vessel-monitoring) requires longline boats to be equipped with a satellite transponder that provides real-time vessel position updates and tracks vessel movements. - Longlines are prohibited in certain areas to protect endangered Hawaiian monk seals and reduce the potential for gear conflicts and localized stock depletion. - Vessels operating under longline general permits must carry special gear to release incidentally hooked or entangled sea turtles, marine mammals, and seabirds, and fishermen must attend protected species workshops. - Fishing gear requirements apply to all Hawaii longline limited access permitted vessels. The requirements may change depending on type of fishing trip, location of fishing, and how the gear is set. Regulation summaries can be found [here](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/pacific-islands/resources-fishing/regulation-summaries-and-compliance-guides-pacific-island-fisheries). - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the Pacific striped marlin fishery on the West Coast, in federal waters (3 to 200 miles offshore). - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species](https://www.pcouncil.org/highly-migratory-species/fishery-management-plan-and-amendments/): - Striped marlin is included in the plan because of its importance to the recreational (sport) fishery in California. - There is no commercial fishery for striped marlin. Sale of striped marlin by vessels under PFMC jurisdiction is prohibited. - Management of highly migratory species, like Pacific striped marlin, is complicated because the species migrates thousands of miles across international boundaries and are fished by many nations. - Effective conservation and management of this resource requires international cooperation as well as strong domestic management. - Two organizations, the [Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)](http://www.iattc.org/HomeENG.htm) and the [Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)](https://www.wcpfc.int/) manage this fishery internationally. - These Commissions rely on the scientific advice of their staff and the analyses of the [International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific (ISC)](http://isc.fra.go.jp/) to develop and adopt international resolutions for conservation and management measures. - Working with the U.S. Department of State, NOAA Fisheries domestically implements conservation and management measures adopted by WCPFC and IATTC. cholesterol: | 40 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 sodium: | 45 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Striped marlin are smaller than other marlin species, but can reach a length of 12 feet and weigh more than 450 pounds. - Spawning occurs in the central Pacific and off central Mexico. - Juvenile fish move east toward the coast of Mexico, where they are found in high abundance around the tip of the Baja Peninsula. - Striped marlin are opportunistic feeders of fish including mackerel, sardine, and anchovy. They will also eat invertebrates, including squid. - Off the coast of southern California, they often feed at the surface on small coastal fish and squid. - Large pelagic sharks or toothed whales prey on adult marlin. - calories: 96 physical_description: | - Blueline tilefish get their name from a narrow gold stripe underlined in blue that runs from their snout to the tip of their eye. - They have a long snout and are a dull olive-gray on the top of their body and white on the bottom. - They have long, continuous dorsal and anal fins that are more than half the length of their body. - Unlike [golden tilefish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/tilefish), they do not have a large adipose flap (crest) on their head. human_health: texture: Firm but tender. environmental_considerations: species_name: Blueline Tilefish diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/blueline-tilefish habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest blueline tilefish have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Blueline tilefish are commonly found in the western Atlantic from Campeche, Mexico, to Hudson Canyon, off the coast of Maryland, including the eastern Gulf of Mexico. - There are reports of catches as far north as Maine and as far west as Texas. color: | White. species_aliases: | [Gray tilefish](/species-aliases/gray-tilefish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1\_8.jpg title: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). Photo credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. alt: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). Photo credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2\_5.jpg title: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). Photo credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. alt: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). Photo credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3\_4.jpg title: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) caught during 2004 NEFSC Cooperative Research cruise. Photo credit: Anne Richards, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. alt: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) caught during 2004 NEFSC Cooperative Research cruise. Photo credit: Anne Richards, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/4\_7.jpg title: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) caught during 2004 NEFSC Cooperative Research cruise. Photo credit: Anne Richards, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. alt: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps) caught during 2004 NEFSC Cooperative Research cruise. Photo credit: Anne Richards, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/5\_2.jpg title: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). Photo credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. alt: | Blueline tilefish (Caulolatilus microps). Photo credit: NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Blueline tilefish typically live along the outer continental shelf, shelf break, and upper slope. - They live on irregular bottom with ledges or crevices, and around boulders or rubble piles at depths of 98 to 774 feet where temperatures range from 59 to 73.4 ° F. - They have been found to burrow head first into cone-shaped piles of sand and may also occupy existing holes and crevices. farming_methods: scientific_name: Caulolatilus microps production: fat_total: 2.31 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round in the Gulf of Mexico. Can be year-round or seasonal in the South Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic. research: | - Blueline tilefish are monitored and assessed by scientists from NOAA’s [Southeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/) through the [Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR) process](http://sedarweb.org/). fishing_rate: | In the Mid-Atlantic, the status is unknown. In the South Atlantic, not subject to overfishing based on 2018 catch data. In the Gulf of Mexico, the tilefish complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2016 catch data. quote_background_color: | \#79b5dc sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Blueline tilefish has a mild sweet flavor, similar to lobster or crab. It is similar in taste to [golden tilefish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/tilefish). Almost all tilefish is sold fresh. health_benefits: | Blueline tilefish is low in sodium. It is a good source of niacin, phosphorus, protein, vitamin B12, and selenium. More information on [health and seafood](https://www.fishwatch.gov/eating-seafood/health). harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In response to the stock assessment in 2013, more restrictive regulations were implemented in the South Atlantic’s Snapper-Grouper FMP and commercial landings declined by half. - In the Mid-Atlantic, NOAA implemented temporary management measures in 2015. In 2017, these were replaced by management measures developed by the Mid-Atlantic Council. - In 2017, commercial landings of blueline tilefish totaled 169,431 pounds and were valued at $408,753. - 2017 landings occurred in Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana. The highest landings were in North Carolina (46,431 pounds), and Florida (89,631 pounds). - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Commercial fishermen mainly use longline and vertical hook-and-line gear to harvest blueline tilefish. - Sea turtles, marine mammals, smalltooth sawfish, and reef fishes can be incidentally caught while fishing for blueline tilefish. - Commercial reef fish fishermen in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico must use “release gear” and follow safe-handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for incidentally caught protected species, like [sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_sa/turtle_sawfish_release/index.html). - To further reduce bycatch, the use of trawl gear, fish traps, and bottom longlines are prohibited in certain areas of the South Atlantic, and several areas are also closed to all fishing to protect snapper and grouper species. - To protect reef fish, sea turtles, and bottom habitat in the Gulf of Mexico, there are restrictions on the areas and depths where longlines can be used. - In the Gulf of Mexico and certain areas of the South Atlantic, fishermen are required to use [circle hooks](https://teacheratsea.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/screen-shot-2013-04-18-at-7-15-32-am.jpg) to reduce injury to any unintentional catch. - Recreational fishery: - Charterboat/headboat reef fish fishermen in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico must use de-hooking devices and follow safe-handling protocols to increase the chance of survival for incidentally caught protected species, like [sea turtles and smalltooth sawfish](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_sa/turtle_sawfish_release/index.html). - In the Mid-Atlantic, for-hire vessels are required to have a permit and report catch, and recreational anglers can keep a limited number of blueline tilefish per fishing trip. - In the South Atlantic, blueline tilefish are included in the daily aggregate grouper bag limit for recreational fishermen. - In the Gulf of Mexico, there is a limit on the number of reef fish, including blueline tilefish, that recreational fishermen can keep per day. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/blueline-tilefish-illustration\_0.png title: | Illustration of Blueline Tilefish alt: | Illustration of Blueline Tilefish saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.441 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught blueline tilefish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Rhode Island to the west coast of Florida. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](http://sedarweb.org/sedar-50), the population status of blueline tilefish in the Mid-Atlantic is unknown. - According to the [2017 stock assessment](http://sedarweb.org/sedar-50), the South Atlantic stock is not overfished, and is not subject to overfishing based on 2018 catch data. - In the Gulf of Mexico, blueline tilefish are managed as part of the tilefish complex. This complex is not subject to overfishing based on 2016 catch data. According to the [2011 stock assessment](http://sedarweb.org/sedar-22), the population status of blueline tilefish in the Gulf of Mexico is unknown. population: | In the Mid-Atlantic, the status is unknown. In the South Atlantic, the status is above target levels. In the Gulf of Mexico, blueline tilefish are managed as part of the tilefish complex and the status of this complex is unknown. protein: | 17.5 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - The [Mid-Atlantic](http://www.mafmc.org/actions/blueline-tilefish), [South Atlantic](http://safmc.net/regulations/regulations-by-species/blueline-tilefish/), and [Gulf of Mexico](http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishery_management_plans/reef_fish_management.php) Fishery Management Councils develop management measures for the blueline tilefish fisheries in their respective jurisdictions. [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov) is responsible for implementing and enforcing these measures. - The Mid-Atlantic [Tilefish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.mafmc.org/tilefish/) measures for blueline tilefish include: - Permit requirements for commercial and for-hire vessels. - Annual catch limits for the commercial and recreational fisheries. - Limits on commercial possession. The fishery is closed if the landing limit is harvested. - Closed season and bag limit for recreational anglers. - For more information on current management, see the [NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office’s Tilefish page](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/tilefish/index.html). - The South Atlantic [Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan](http://safmc.net/useful-info/snapper-grouper/) measures for blueline tilefish include: - Permit requirements. - Annual catch limits. - Limits on the number or pounds of blueline tilefish commercial and recreational fishermen may harvest during a fishing trip. - Prohibition of longline gear in certain areas to protect snapper-grouper species and live-bottom habitat. - For more information on current management, see the [NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office’s South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/s_atl/sg/index.html) page. - The Gulf of Mexico [Reef Fish Fishery Management Plan](http://gulfcouncil.org/fishery-management/implemented-plans/reef-fish/) blueline tilefish measures include: - Annual catch limits for both the commercial and recreational fisheries. - An [Individual Fishing Quota program](https://portal.southeast.fisheries.noaa.gov/cs/main.html) for the commercial fishery. - Restrictions on the seasons, areas, and depths where longlines can be used, to protect reef fish, sea turtles, and bottom habitat. - For more information on current management, see the [NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office’s Gulf of Mexico Reef Fish](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_fisheries/reef_fish/index.html) page. cholesterol: | 50 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 53 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Blueline tilefish can grow to be 35 inches long and live up to 26 years. - Males can grow larger than females. - Female blueline tilefish mature when they are about 3 years old. - They can spawn year-round, but peak spawning is in May. Spawning primarily occurs at night. - Females can lay more than 4 million free-floating eggs. - Blueline tilefish feed primarily on invertebrates that live near the sea floor, such as crabs, shrimp, snails, worms, sea urchins, and small fish. - Recent genetic studies suggest that the U.S. Atlantic population of blueline tilefish is continuous from the northeastern Gulf of Mexico, around the Florida Keys, and up through the Mid-Atlantic region. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Red hake vary in color depending on their environment. Most tend to be a reddish brown to olive-brown color with pale tan spots on their sides and shades of white on their undersides. - They are a member of the cod family and have a barbel (whisker) on their chin. - Their dorsal fin is triangular, but their second dorsal and anal fins are long, continuous, and do not attach to the tail fin, much like an eel. - They have a small head, but a large mouth with many small teeth. human_health: texture: Hakes have softer flesh and are less flaky than other whitefish such as cod, haddock, and pollock. environmental_considerations: species_name: Red Hake diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/red-hake habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest red hake have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Red hake are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and range primarily from Newfoundland to North Carolina. - They are most abundant from the western Gulf of Maine through Southern New England waters. color: | Raw and cooked hake is white to off-white. species_aliases: | [Ling](/species-aliases/ling), [Squirrel hake](/species-aliases/squirrel-hake) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/red\_hake\_juvenile\_noaa-formatted.jpg title: | Juvenile red hake. alt: | Juvenile red hake. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/red\_hake\_minnow\_noaa%20teacher%20at%20sea-formatted\_0.jpg title: | Red hake minnow. alt: | Red hake minnow. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/red\_hake\_noaa%20teacher%20at%20sea-formatted.jpg title: | Red hake with distinctive chin barbel. alt: | Red hake with distinctive chin barbel. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/silver\_hake\_top\_and\_red\_hake\_bottom\_noaa%20teacher%20at%20sea-formatted.jpg title: | Comparing a silver hake (top) and a red hake (bottom). alt: | Comparing a silver hake (top) and a red hake (bottom). - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/red-hake1\_largest-formatted.jpg title: | Red hake. alt: | Red hake. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 32.1 mcg management: habitat: | - The northern stock of red hake inhabits the waters of the Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank, and the southern stock inhabits the waters of Southern Georges Bank and the Mid-Atlantic Bight. - As nocturnal, semi-pelagic predators, red hake move up in the water column to feed at night, primarily between dusk and midnight. They return to rest on the ocean floor during the day, preferring sandy, muddy, or pebbly ocean bottoms. - Red hake migrate in response to seasonal changes in water temperatures, moving toward shallow, warmer waters in the spring. - They spawn in these shallow waters during late spring and early summer and then return to deeper waters in the autumn. - Juveniles seek shelter from predators in scallop beds and commonly hide underneath [sea scallops](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-sea-scallop). - Older, larger red hake prefer deeper waters. - During the summer, portions of both stocks can be found on Georges Bank. - During the winter, fish in the northern stock move to deep basins in the Gulf of Maine, while fish in the southern stock move to outer continental shelf and slope waters. - Red hake are widely distributed, and have been observed at temperature ranges of 2 to 17° C (36 to 63° F) and depth ranges of 11 to 500 meters (36 to 1,640 feet). However, they are most commonly found in temperatures between 7 and 10° C (45 to 50° F). farming_methods: scientific_name: Urophycis chuss production: fat_total: 1.31 g bycatch: | Raised-footrope trawls are required in designated areas when targeting hake to minimize bycatch of other species. availability: | Year-round. research: | - [Northeast Fisheries Science Center Field Science: Rare birds and good weather](https://nefsc.wordpress.com/2012/08/21/rare-birds-and-grood-weather/) - [Red Hake and Atlantic Sea Scallop: A commensal relationship](https://teacheratsea.wordpress.com/2016/06/21/donna-knutson-the-atlantic-sea-scallop-more-than-meets-the-eye-june-21-2016/) fishing_rate: | At recommended levels for the northern red hake stock. At levels to reduce overfishing for the southern red hake stock. quote_background_color: | \#95765f sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild and slightly sweet. Hake can be substituted in many dishes calling for pollock or cod. health_benefits: | Red hake is a good source of selenium, vitamin B, magnesium, and protein. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - The 2016 landings of red hake totaled more than 1 million pounds and were valued at $453,300. The southern stock accounts for more than 67 percent of the landings and 74 percent of the total catch. - Red hake is part of the small-mesh multispecies management unit, along with [silver hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/silver-hake) and offshore hake. This three-species complex is sometimes marketed together as whiting. - Red hake are usually a bycatch species in the small-mesh fisheries that target whiting ([silver hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/silver-hake)) and squid. - Low value and limited domestic market for red hake result in high percentages of discard which account for about 60% of the annual catch. - Red hake are frequently used as bait in the lobster and tuna fisheries. Some are also sold as fillets. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Fishermen using small-mesh trawl gear to catch red hake must comply with a number of specific requirements to reduce bycatch of larger groundfish species. - In designated areas, fishermen are required to use raised-footrope trawls, which are designed to keep the net off the bottom to reduce the bycatch of flatfish and other species. - Recreational fishery: - Recreational fishermen do not target red hake but sometimes catch them incidentally while fishing for other groundfish. - There are currently no restrictions on possession, size, or gear-type for red hake caught recreationally in federal waters. - There are no specific areas for the recreational fishery. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/red-hake-illustration-formatted.png title: | Red Hake alt: | Red Hake saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.247 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught red hake is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the 2017 [stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1802/), the Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank (northern) stock of red hake is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing.  - According to the 2017 [stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1802/), the Southern Georges Bank and Mid Atlantic (southern) stock of red hake is overfished and subject to overfishing. population: | The northern stock is above its target population level. The southern stock is below its target level and fishing rate promotes population growth. A rebuilding plan is being developed for the southern stock. protein: | 18.31 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [New England Fishery Management Council](https://www.nefmc.org/index.html) manage the red hake fishery. - Managed under the [Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan for Small Mesh Multispecies](https://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/small-mesh-multispecies): - Permitting requirements. - A cap on the amount of groundfish bycatch that fishing vessels can take. - Seasonal and spatial limitations on fishing with small mesh nets throughout the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. - Trip limits by mesh size and area. - In-season trip limit reductions and catch monitoring help prevent excessive catches. - The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed primarily through a series of [exemptions](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/regs/infodocs/small_mesh_exemption.pdf) from the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Exempted fisheries allow vessels to fish for specific species, such as red hake, in designated areas using mesh sizes smaller than the minimum mesh size allowed under the Regulated Mesh Area regulations. cholesterol: | 67 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 72 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Red hake are a member of the cod family. - They do not grow as large as white hake and normally reach a maximum size of 50 centimeters (20 inches) and 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds). - Females are generally larger than males of the same age, and reach a maximum length of 63 centimeters (25 inches) and a weight of 3.6 kilograms (7.9 pounds). - Although they generally do not live longer than 8 years, red hake have been recorded up to 14 years old. - Red hake feed primarily on crustaceans such as decapods and rock crabs as well as fish such as [haddock](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/haddock), [silver hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/silver-hake), sea robins, sand lance, [mackerel](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-mackerel), and small red hake. - Primary predators of red hake include [spiny dogfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-spiny-dogfish), [cod](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-cod), [goosefish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/monkfish), and [silver hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/silver-hake). - calories: 130 physical_description: | - Atlantic sharpnose sharks are small for sharks and have a streamlined body. - They get their name from their long, pointy snout. - They are several different shades of gray and have a white underside. - Adults have white spots on their sides and white along the edges of their pectoral fins. - Young sharks have black on their dorsal (back) and caudal (tail) fin edges. - The lower and upper jaws of an Atlantic sharpnose shark have 24 or 25 rows of triangular teeth. human_health: texture: environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Sharpnose Shark diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-sharpnose-shark habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest Atlantic sharpnose shark have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Atlantic sharpnose sharks are commonly found in the western Atlantic from New Brunswick, Canada, through the Gulf of Mexico, and are commonly caught in U.S. waters from Virginia to Texas. color: species_aliases: | [Newfoundland shark](/species-aliases/newfoundland-shark), [Sharp-nosed shark](/species-aliases/sharp-nosed-shark), [White shark](/species-aliases/white-shark) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1\_6.jpg title: | Sharpnose shark caught in the Atlantic for research purposes. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. alt: | Sharpnose shark caught in the Atlantic for research purposes. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2\_reformatted.jpg title: | Sharpnose shark caught in the Atlantic for research purposes. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. alt: | Sharpnose shark caught in the Atlantic for research purposes. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3\_3.jpg title: | Sharpnose shark caught in the Gulf of Mexico for research purposes. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. alt: | Sharpnose shark caught in the Gulf of Mexico for research purposes. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/4\_6.jpg title: | Teacher-at-sea examining a sharpnose shark caught during a research cruise. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. alt: | Teacher-at-sea examining a sharpnose shark caught during a research cruise. Photo credit: NOAA Fisheries. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Atlantic sharpnose sharks live in both warm-temperate and tropical waters, from the Bay of Fundy to the Yucatan. - They can be found as deep as 920 feet, but mostly remain in waters less than 32 feet deep. - They are commonly found in bays, estuaries, harbors, and the surf zone (area where waves break, commonly at 16 to 32 feet deep), mostly over mud and sand bottoms. - Atlantic sharpnose sharks seasonally migrate between inshore and offshore waters, moving to deeper offshore waters in winter and returning to inshore waters in spring to mate and give birth. - During migrations, they form large schools separated by sex. farming_methods: scientific_name: Rhizoprionodon terraenovae production: fat_total: 4.5 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Fresh year-round. research: | - [NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/) staff assesses the status of Atlantic sharpnose sharks through the [Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review](http://sedarweb.org) (SEDAR) process. - Ongoing research priorities for Atlantic sharpnose sharks include enhancing life history information, identifying additional bycatch minimization strategies, and improving the identification of essential fish habitat. Scientists have made great strides collecting data on Atlantic sharpnose shark catch in other fisheries. For instance, records for sharks caught in shrimp trawls are now more detailed and include species-level information, which helps managers effectively understand and minimize bycatch of sharpnose sharks in the trawl fisheries. fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#8d7170 sugars_total: | 0 taste: | Reported to be quite tasty. health_benefits: | Shark is a low-fat source of protein that is high in selenium and vitamins B6 and B12. More information on [health and seafood](https://www.fishwatch.gov/eating-seafood/health). harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of Atlantic sharpnose shark in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico totaled 462,000 pounds, and were valued at $305,000.  - To commercially harvest Atlantic sharks, vessel owners must obtain a valid Atlantic shark directed or incidental limited access permit or a smoothhound shark open access permit.  More information regarding limited access permits can be found in the [Atlantic HMS commercial compliance guide](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-fishery-compliance-guides#commercial-fishing-compliance-guide). - Atlantic sharpnose shark belong to the small coastal shark (SCS) complex. For SCS sharks, there is no retention limit per vessel per trip for commercial fishermen with a directed permit. - They are harvested primarily off the east coast of Florida and North Carolina. - Their meat is sold as seafood and also used by fishermen as bait for other larger species of shark. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Commercial fishermen primarily use gillnet and bottom longline gear, which have minimal impacts on habitat due to how and where they are deployed. - These gear types sometimes interact with sea turtles, marine mammals, and the endangered smalltooth sawfish. - Several measures are in place to protect species that may be caught unintentionally in Atlantic sharpnose shark fisheries. - Fishermen using bottom longline or gillnet gear must complete a protected species safe handling, release, and identification [workshop](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-protected-species-safe-handling-release-and), and all bottom longline vessels must carry [sea turtle handling and release gear](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sustainable_fisheries/gulf_sa/turtle_sawfish_release/index.html) on board. - To reduce bycatch of finfish, including Atlantic sharpnose shark, shrimp trawlers are required to use [bycatch reduction devices](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/labs/mississippi/brd/), which are designed to retain shrimp but allow fish to exit the net. - Recreational fishery: - In 2017, approximately 110,000 Atlantic sharpnose sharks were caught recreationally in the United States. - Recreational fishermen primarily use rod and reel gear, which have minimal impacts on habitat and bycatch. - Recreational fishermen must have an Atlantic [HMS permit](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-permits-and-reporting-forms) to harvest Atlantic sharpnose sharks in federal waters. As of January 1, 2018, all HMS recreational permit holders will need a “shark endorsement” to fish for, retain, possess, or land sharks. - Fishermen fishing recreationally for sharks will be required to use circle hook in most places.  For more information regarding these requirements, please refer to HMS regulations and the [Amendment 5b compliance guide](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/webdam/download/64522080). - There is no minimum size for Atlantic sharpnose sharks. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/Atlantic\_Sharpnosed\_Shark\_NB\_W\_smaller\_0.png title: | Atlantic Sharpnose Shark alt: | Atlantic Sharpnose Shark saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.9 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic sharpnose shark is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Virginia to Texas. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2013 stock assessment](http://sedarweb.org/sedar-34), the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico stocks of Atlantic sharpnose shark are not overfished and not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 21 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov) and the [Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species) manage the Atlantic sharpnose shark fishery. - Managed under the [Consolidated Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/consolidated-atlantic-highly-migratory-species-management-plan): - Permits are required, and only a limited number of permits are available. - Commercial quotas and limits on how many sharks can be landed per fishing trip. - Gear restrictions and requirements. - Fishing season is generally year-round, but the sharpnose shark fishery, managed as part of the non-blacknose small coastal shark management group, may close when the landings are projected to reach 80 percent of the quota. - Shark dealers are required to attend [Atlantic shark identification workshops](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-shark-identification-workshops) to help them better identify shark species. - There are more than 20 species of sharks that cannot be landed (e.g., white, dusky, basking, longfin mako, night) and some of these species look similar to the species that can be landed. The [recreational shark identification](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/outreach-and-education/shark-identification-placard) and the [prohibited shark identification placards](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/outreach-and-education/prohibited-shark-identification-placard) can help with identification. - The [Shark Conservation Act](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-and-policies/shark-conservation-act) requires that Atlantic sharpnose sharks be brought to shore with their fins naturally attached. - [Compliance guides](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/atlantic-highly-migratory-species-fishery-compliance-guides) are available for all commercial and recreational regulations across Atlantic highly migratory species fisheries. - There are no international management measures for Atlantic sharpnose sharks. cholesterol: | 51 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 sodium: | 79 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Atlantic sharpnose sharks can grow to up to 32 inches in length. - They grow and mature at different rates in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. - Females mature at around 2 years old in the Atlantic when they reach approximately 24 inches in length, and at around 1.3 years old in the Gulf of Mexico when they are approximately 25 inches in length. - Atlantic sharpnose sharks have been observed to live up to 18 years. - In both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic sharpnose sharks mate annually between mid-May and mid-July in inshore waters. - After mating they migrate offshore to deeper waters. - The mother feeds the pups through a placental sac and after a gestation period of 10 to 11 months the females return to nearshore areas to give birth in June. - Litters average approximately four pups in both the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic. - Atlantic sharpnose sharks eat small fish, including menhaden, eels, silversides, wrasses, jacks, toadfish, and filefish. They also eat worms, shrimp, crabs, and mollusks. - Large carnivorous fish, including large sharks, eat Atlantic sharpnose sharks. - calories: 217 physical_description: | - Pacific sardines are small. - They are blue-green on the back and have white flanks with one to three sets of dark spots along the middle. human_health: texture: Firm when canned; soft when fresh. environmental_considerations: species_name: Pacific Sardine diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/pacific-sardine habitat_impacts: | The gear used to catch Pacific sardines is used at the surface and has little impact on habitat. location: | - Southeastern Alaska to Baja California, Mexico. color: | Pale red to off-white. species_aliases: | [Pilchard](/species-aliases/pilchard), [California sardine](/species-aliases/california-sardine), [California pilchard](/species-aliases/california-pilchard), [Sardina](/species-aliases/sardina), [Sardine](/species-aliases/sardine) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_57.jpg title: | Pacific sardine. alt: | Pacific sardine. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_42.jpg title: | Historic photo of the sardine fishery in California. In the 1940s and 1950s, about 200 vessels participated in the Pacific sardine fishery. Some of these boats are still fishing today. alt: | Historic photo of the sardine fishery in California. In the 1940s and 1950s, about 200 vessels participated in the Pacific sardine fishery. Some of these boats are still fishing today. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_47.jpg title: | Sardine schools (dark patches) around a commercial fishing vessel. alt: | Sardine schools (dark patches) around a commercial fishing vessel. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_39.jpg title: | Adult Pacific sardines caught during NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center’s 2006 survey. These sardines were measured and weighed. Scientists also determined their reproductive status and collected otoliths (ear bones) for ageing studies. alt: | Adult Pacific sardines caught during NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center’s 2006 survey. These sardines were measured and weighed. Scientists also determined their reproductive status and collected otoliths (ear bones) for ageing studies. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_31.jpg title: '' alt: | Sardine seafood dish. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 52.6 mcg management: habitat: | - Pacific sardines live in the water column in nearshore and offshore areas along the coast. - They are sometimes found in estuaries. - They form large, dense schools near the ocean surface. - Pacific sardines move seasonally along the coast. - Older adults may move from spawning grounds in southern California and northern Baja California to feeding/spawning grounds off the Pacific Northwest and Canada. - Younger adults appear to migrate to feeding grounds primarily in central and northern California. farming_methods: scientific_name: Sardinops sagax caerulea production: fat_total: 12.37 g bycatch: | Bycatch is low because gear used is selective. availability: | Usually year-round, but currently unavailable because the fishery is closed research: | - Scientists from [NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center](https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=FRD&ParentMenuId=187&id=1120) assess the abundance of the Pacific sardine resource every year. Managers use these abundance estimates to set catch limits for the following year. fishing_rate: | The fishery is closed because the population is estimated to be below a precautionary level set by managers. quote_background_color: | \#8ea38b sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | When fresh, small sardines have a delicate flavor. Larger sardines have a fuller, oilier flavor, similar to anchovies but milder. If buying fresh, look for sardines with bright eyes, shiny skin, and a mildly fishy aroma. Plan to cook them within a day of purchase. health_benefits: | Sardines are a very good source of selenium and vitamin B12 and a good source of calcium, niacin, phosphorus, and omega-3 fatty acids. harvest: | - The fishery was closed in 2015, and has not reopened. - In 2014, more than 23,000 metric tons were harvested and were valued at $8.85 million. - Round haul nets are used to catch Pacific sardines. - Habitat and bycatch impacts are minimal because the gear is used at the surface around dense schools of fish, which usually contain only one species. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/pacific\_sardine.png title: '' alt: | Pacific sardine illustration. saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 2.791 g quote: | Commercial fishing for Pacific sardines is prohibited because the population is estimated to be below a precautionary level set by managers. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Washington to California. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2019 stock assessment](https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/20275), Pacific sardine are overfished, and are not subject to overfishing. - The population size varies naturally, which can lead to large fluctuations (boom-bust cycles) in abundance and catch. - A precautionary measure is built into sardine management to stop directed fishing when the population falls below 150,000 metric tons. The latest population estimate is below that level, and managers have closed the fishery. population: | Significantly below target population levels. protein: | 24.58 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the Pacific sardine fishery. - Managed under the [Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan](https://www.pcouncil.org/coastal-pelagic-species/fishery-management-plan-and-amendments/): - Catch limits are in place to prevent overfishing. - Catch limit is allocated among three fishing seasons throughout the year. - Permits are needed to harvest Pacific sardines. - Gear restrictions are in place to reduce bycatch. - Catch is monitored through logbooks and observers. cholesterol: | 82 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 918 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Pacific sardines are fast growing and can grow to more than 12 inches long. - They can live up to 13 years, but usually not past 5. - They reproduce at age 1 or 2, depending on conditions. - Pacific sardines spawn multiple times per season. - Females release eggs that are fertilized externally and hatch in about 3 days. - Pacific sardines feed on plankton (tiny floating plants and animals). - They are prey for many fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. - calories: 146 physical_description: | - Butterfish are dull blue on the top, with pale sides and a silvery belly. Numerous irregular dark spots fade after they are harvested. - Very thin and deep-bodied, like a flounder set upright, and somewhat circular or rounded. - Small mouths with weak teeth and blunt noses. - 6 to 9 inches in length, though some individuals can reach 12 inches. - Up to 1.25 pounds in weight. human_health: texture: environmental_considerations: species_name: Butterfish diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/butterfish habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest butterfish have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Butterfish are found from Florida to Newfoundland, but they are primarily found from Cape Hatteras to the Gulf of Maine. color: species_aliases: | [American butterfish](/species-aliases/american-butterfish), [Atlantic butterfish](/species-aliases/atlantic-butterfish), [Dollarfish](/species-aliases/dollarfish), [Shiner](/species-aliases/shiner), [Skipjack](/species-aliases/skipjack), [Sheepshead](/species-aliases/sheepshead), [Harvestfish](/species-aliases/harvestfish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1\_5.jpg title: | Butterfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/NEFSC. alt: | Butterfish. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2\_2.jpg title: | Butterfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries. alt: | Butterfish. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3\_2.jpg title: | Juvenile butterfish (30 mm long) caught in a bongo net sample from the Gulf of Maine. Credit: Jerry Prezioso, NOAA Fisheries/NEFSC. alt: | Juvenile butterfish caught in a bongo net sample from the Gulf of Maine. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/4\_4.jpg title: | Caption: Butterfish. Credit: NOAA Fisheries. alt: | A pile of caught butterfish. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/butterfish\_on\_karen\_elizabeth\_Manderson\_0.jpg title: | The fishing vessel Karen Elizabeth, owned by Chris Roebuck, Point Judith Rhode Island, with a fish box full of butterfish. Credit: John Manderson, NOAA Fisheries/NEFSC. alt: | The fishing vessel Karen Elizabeth, owned by Chris Roebuck, Point Judith Rhode Island, with a fish box full of butterfish. Credit: John Manderson, NOAA Fisheries/NEFSC. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Butterfish shift their distribution in response to changing bottom water temperatures. - During summer, they move northward and inshore to feed and spawn. - During winter, they move southward and offshore to avoid cold waters. farming_methods: scientific_name: Peprilus triacanthus production: fat_total: 8 g bycatch: | Regulations limit possession of bycatch species and require modified fishing gear to reduce bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - [Butterfish – Little Fish Big Science](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/butterfish-little-fish-big-science) - [IOOS® Modeling Advancing Fisheries Management and Improving Butterfish Population Assessments](http://www.savingseafood.org/science/ioos-modeling-advancing-fisheries-management-and-improving-butterfish-population-assessments/) fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#7d8ca0 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Fatty, oily, and delicious. health_benefits: | Butterfish is a good source of niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, protein, vitamin B12, and selenium. harvest: | - In 2016, commercial landings of butterfish totaled more than 2.5 million pounds and were valued at more than $1.7 million. - Butterfish are primarily landed in Point Judith and North Kingstown, Rhode Island; Montauk, New York; and New Bedford, Massachusetts. They are generally exported to Japan, where they are a popular menu item. - Otter trawls are used to catch butterfish. - Otter trawls can incidentally catch other fish and marine mammals as bycatch, and can impact habitat, depending on where they are used. - Gear restrictions (minimum mesh size) when fishing with otter trawls are used to reduce bycatch. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/butterfish.png title: | Butterfish alt: | Illustration of a Butterfish saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 3.4 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught butterfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to South Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/17246), butterfish are not overfished and not subject to overfishing. - The assessment indicated that butterfish are estimated to be at 141 percent of the target population level. However, scientists are concerned that recruitment (the number of smaller fish entering the fishery) has been declining in recent years. - Scientists at [NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) survey the abundance of butterfish off the East Coast. - They added temperature and habitat information into the stock assessment model, which helps them more accurately estimate fish abundance. Using this approach, the model indicated that the population was more abundant than previously estimated. - Incorporating this type of environmental information into stock assessments will become increasingly important as the climate changes and the oceans warm. population: | Above target population level. protein: | 17 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/msb/) and the [Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council](http://www.mafmc.org/) manage the butterfish fishery. - Managed under the [Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.mafmc.org/msb/): - Fishermen must have a permit to harvest butterfish. Managers limit the amount of available permits to control harvests. - Annual catch limits are in place to prevent overfishing. - Managers monitor commercial catch weekly. - Vessel trip limits are based on gear mesh sizes, and are adjusted based on landings. cholesterol: | 65 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 89 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Butterfish are short-lived and grow rapidly. - Few live to more than 3 years of age, and most are sexually mature at age 1. - Spawning occurs during June and July. - They are semi-pelagic, and form loose schools that feed upon small invertebrates. - They have a high natural mortality rate and are preyed upon by many species of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Skates are a relative of sharks and rays and have a kite-like shape. - Winter skates are light brown and covered with small dark spots. - Small spines cover most of their back.  human_health: texture: Firm and stringy. environmental_considerations: species_name: Winter Skate diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/winter-skate habitat_impacts: | Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitat that are affected by some kinds of trawl gear. location: | - Winter skates range from the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in Canada to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. color: | The meat is off-white, sometimes pinkish, when raw and is off-white when cooked. species_aliases: | [Skate](/species-aliases/skate), [Big skate](/species-aliases/big-skate), [Spotted skate](/species-aliases/spotted-skate), [Eyed skate](/species-aliases/eyed-skate) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_55.jpg title: '' alt: | A close-up photograph of a Winter Skate - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_45.jpg title: | Historic promotional material for skates and rays from the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. alt: | Historic promotional material for skates and rays from the U.S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_38.jpg title: | Catch from a bottom trawl including some skates. alt: | Fishermen looking through catch from a bottom trawl that includes some skates. harvest_type: Wild selenium: management: habitat: | - Winter skate live on sand and gravel bottoms in the northwest Atlantic, most commonly in southern New England and on Georges Bank. They are occasionally found in the Gulf of Maine, on the Scotian Shelf, in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, and in the Mid-Atlantic. - Skates are not known to migrate far, but they do move with the seasons as water temperature changes. They are generally offshore during the summer and early autumn and inshore during winter and spring. farming_methods: scientific_name: Leucoraja ocellata production: fat_total: 1 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Scientists and managers have limited information about the skate species. They have identified a number of research needs for the species including additional studies on life history (age, growth, and reproduction), the survival rates of discarded skates (i.e., caught but thrown back), species identification, habitat preferences, and the structure of the stock. fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#734623 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild flavor that is similar to scallops. health_benefits: harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2015, commercial landings totaled 10,900 metric tons, and were valued at $5.3 million. - More than half of skate landings come from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. - Skates are harvested in two different fisheries, one for wings for human consumption and one for lobster bait. - In the bait fishery, vessels from southern New England target mostly little skates (more than 90 percent) and, to a much lesser extent, juvenile winter skates (less than 10 percent). Juvenile winter skates are difficult to differentiate from little skates because they look nearly identical. - The wing fishery is labor-intensive because the wings need to be cut into fillets, but participation has grown recently due to increasing restrictions on other, more profitable groundfish species. - In the wing fishery, mainly trawlers and gillnetters harvest winter skates when targeting other species such as groundfish, monkfish, and scallops. Fishermen keep the skates if the price is profitable.   - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Most skates are caught incidentally in otter trawl fisheries targeting other more valuable species, such as groundfish, monkfish, and scallops. Otter trawls can impact habitat depending on where they are used. They can also interact with marine mammals (e.g., whales, harbor porpoises, and seals) and sea turtles. Management measures including closed areas, restrictions on gear and fishing effort, and modifying fishing gear to reduce contact with habitat help reduce these impacts and interactions. - Skates are also caught in bottom gillnet fisheries, which have less of an impact on habitat. - Skates are caught and discarded as bycatch in numerous fisheries, but the rate of discards has decreased in recent years as the value of skate products has increased. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/winter\_skate.png title: | Winter Skate alt: | Illustration of a Winter Skate saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught winter skate is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (3½ oz) raw ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina (mainly Massachusetts and Rhode Island). noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](http://s3.amazonaws.com/nefmc.org/4_NEFSC_SkateMemo_July_2017_170922_085135.pdf), winter skate are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. Scientists use a simple index method to detect significant changes in the annual fisheries survey. Winter skates are not subject to overfishing based on this method. - Seven skate species, including winter skate, are assessed and managed as one northeast skate complex. There is a lack of data for this complex. New requirements to report skate landings by species should improve the data-poor nature of this complex. - Estimates of winter skate abundance, or biomass, peaked in the mid-1980s, declined through the early 1990s, and increased again in recent years to moderately high levels.  population: | Near target level and fishing rate promotes population growth. protein: | 20 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/skate/) and the [New England Fishery Management Council](http://www.nefmc.org/) manage the winter skate fishery. - Managed under the [Northeast Skate Complex Fishery Management Plan](http://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/skates): - Valid open access permit is required to catch, possess, transport, or sell skate. - Annual catch limits for winter, little, clearnose, and rosette skates, as well as response measures if the catch limits are exceeded. Winter skates are the only species targeted for human consumption. Little skate is used as bait for lobster fisheries and clearnose and rosette skates are usually discarded. - Fishermen are prohibited from retaining smooth (Gulf of Maine only), barndoor, and thorny skates. - Trip limits. - Fishermen and dealers must report their catch by species. - Management measures in other fisheries also indirectly aid in the recovery of the overfished skate species and conserve the resource. cholesterol: | 0 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 0 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Winter skates have large bodies and can grow up to 5 feet in length. - They can live for about 20 years. - They reproduce at a late age, when they’re approximately 11 years old and 2.5 feet long. - Skates lay eggs year-round but have few offspring. Their eggs are enclosed in a hard leathery case called a “mermaid’s purse.” The eggs incubate for 6 to 12 months, and young skates have the adult form when they hatch. - Skates feed on a variety of organisms such as crustaceans, mollusks, worms, squids, and fish. - calories: 116 physical_description: | - Pink salmon are the smallest of the Pacific salmon found in North America, weighing between 3.5 and 5 pounds, with an average length of 20 to 25 inches. - Pink salmon can be distinguished from other Pacific salmon by the large dark oval spots on their back and entire tail fin as well as their general coloring and form. - In the sea, pink salmon are steel blue to blue-green on the back, silver on the sides, and white on the belly. - Breeding males become dark on the back and red with brownish green blotches on the sides. - Males also develop a hump on their back, which is why they are often called “humpback” salmon. - Breeding females are similar but lack a dorsal hump and are less distinctly colored. human_health: texture: Softer meat than most salmon with a small flake. environmental_considerations: species_name: Pink Salmon diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/pink-salmon habitat_impacts: | Fishing gear used to catch pink salmon rarely contacts the ocean floor and has little impact on habitat. location: | - Pink salmon are found on both sides of the North Pacific, from Alaska to Puget Sound in Washington State and from Russia to North Korea. - In North America, they’re found from the Arctic coast in Alaska and territories in Canada to central California, although they do not reproduce in significant numbers south of Puget Sound. color: | Pink salmon’s meat is pale pink and lacks the orange tint of other salmon species. species_aliases: | [Humpback salmon](/species-aliases/humpback-salmon), [Humpy](/species-aliases/humpy), [Gorbusch](/species-aliases/gorbusch), [Haddo](/species-aliases/haddo), [Holia](/species-aliases/holia) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_54.jpg title: | Pink salmon in Washington's Elwha River. alt: | Pink salmon in Washington's Elwha River. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_40.jpg title: | Pink salmon. Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alt: | Pink salmon breaking the surface of the water. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_44.jpg title: | Whole pink salmon. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. alt: | A whole pink salmon. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_37.jpg title: | Pink salmon fillet and steak. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration alt: | Pink salmon fillet and steak. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_30.jpg title: '' alt: | A plate of baked pink salmon. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 44.6 mcg management: habitat: | - Freshwater streams, estuaries, and associated wetlands provide vital nursery grounds for pink salmon. - Adult salmon leave the ocean, enter fresh water, and migrate upstream to spawn, usually in the stream of their birth. - Pink salmon spawn in rivers closer to tidewater than most other Pacific salmon species, generally within 30 miles of a river mouth. farming_methods: scientific_name: Oncorhynchus gorbuscha production: fat_total: 3.45 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Fresh from late summer to fall, and frozen and canned year-round. research: | - [NOAA's Alaska Fisheries Science Center Salmon Research](https://www.afsc.noaa.gov/ABL/SOE/soe_default.php) - [NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Salmon Research](https://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/research/themes/species/index.cfm#salmon) - [NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center Salmon Research](https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?id=1040&ParentMenuId=110) fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#ddb4b4 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Pink salmon has a low oil content so it’s generally lean and mild-flavored. health_benefits: | Pink salmon is low in sodium and is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, niacin, vitamin B12, and selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2016, commercial harvest of pink salmon totaled more than 130 million pounds, valued at approximately $30 million. - Almost all the pink salmon harvested in the United States comes from Alaska fisheries. - Small numbers of pink salmon are also harvested off the West Coast, mainly Washington, especially in odd-numbered years (see the Science section for more about pink salmon’s unique two-year life cycle). - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Purse seines, gillnets, and reef nets are used to catch pink salmon. - Purse seiners catch salmon by encircling them with a long net and drawing the bottom closed to capture the fish. - Gillnetters catch salmon by setting curtain-like nets perpendicular to the pink salmon trajectory as they migrate along the coast toward fresh water. - Fishing gear used to catch pink salmon rarely contacts the ocean floor and has little impact on habitat. - Bycatch is low and usually consists of other salmon species. - Recreational fishery: - Salmon are a favorite catch of recreational fishermen. - Recreational fishermen use a variety of fishing gear to harvest pink salmon. - While their relatively small size makes them less popular with sport anglers than other salmon species, pink salmon are excellent fish to catch because they’re aggressive and make a nice, mild-tasting meal. - To ensure recreational fisheries are sustainable, West Coast anglers are only allowed to keep a certain number of salmon per fishing trip. - In Alaska, regulations vary by area and individual fisheries. - Recreational fisheries in high-use areas (Cook Inlet, Southeast Alaska, Copper River) are regulated through management plans that allocate fish between competing commercial and recreational fishermen. - Subsistence fishery: - Salmon is an important source of spiritual and physical sustenance for Western Indian tribes and Alaska natives, and salmon are culturally important to many other residents of these areas. - Subsistence fishermen use a variety of fishing gear to harvest pink salmon. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/pink\_salmon.png title: | Pink Salmon alt: | Illustration of a Pink Salmon saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.558 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught pink salmon is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild caught from Alaska, Washington, and Oregon. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast, Alaska animal_health: population_status: | - Alaska: - Pink salmon are the most abundant Pacific salmon. - Pink salmon populations in Alaska were not overfished in 2017. - West Coast: - Puget Sound pink salmon ([last assessed in 2017](https://www.pcouncil.org/salmon/stock-assessment-anassessment-and-fishery-evaluation-safe-documents/review-of-2017-ocean-salmon-fisheries/)) may not be at record levels, but they’re also not overfished. - Due to their unique two-year life cycle, returns of pink salmon are much larger in odd-numbered years. - Populations are affected by: - Changes in ocean and climatic conditions. - Habitat loss from dam construction and urban development. - Degraded water quality from agricultural and logging practices. - Population conservation efforts include: - Captive-rearing in hatcheries. - Removal and modification of dams that obstruct salmon migration. - Restoration of degraded habitat. - Acquisition of key habitat. - Improvements to water quality and instream flow. - The [Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/recovery_planning_and_implementation/pacific_coastal_salmon_recovery_fund.html) supports the restoration of salmon species. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 19.94 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.pcouncil.org/) manage pink salmon on the West Coast. - Managed under the [Pacific Coast Salmon Plan](https://www.pcouncil.org/salmon/fishery-management-plan/adoptedapproved-amendments/): - Every year, the council reviews reports of the previous fishing season and current estimates of salmon abundance. Using this information, they make recommendations for management of the upcoming fishing season. - Their general goal is to allow fishermen to harvest the maximum amount of salmon that will support the fishery while preventing overharvest of the resource and ensuring that salmon populations with low abundance can rebuild. - Specific management measures vary year to year depending on current salmon abundance, and include size limits, season length, quotas, and gear restrictions. - The council usually increases harvest limits for pink salmon in odd years when more adults are returning to spawn. - Management of pink salmon must also comply with laws such as the [Endangered Species Act](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/laws-policies#endangered-species-act). - Final recommendations are implemented by NOAA Fisheries. [Check here](https://www.pcouncil.org/salmon/current-season-management/) for the current season’s management. State and tribal managers use council management recommendations to shape their policies for inland fisheries, to ensure that conservation objectives are met. - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska) and the [North Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.npfmc.org/) manage pink salmon in Alaska. - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for Salmon Fisheries in the EEZ off the Coast of Alaska](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/alaska-salmon-fisheries-management-plan): - All management of the salmon fisheries in federal waters is delegated to the [State of Alaska](http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=CommercialByFisherySalmon.main), which is also responsible for managing the commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries for salmon in state waters. This ensures that management is consistent throughout salmon’s range. - Managers regulate the fishery based on [escapement goals](http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=sonar.escapementgoals) to ensure harvests are sustainable. They want enough salmon to be able to escape the fishery and return to fresh water to spawn and replenish the population. - Salmon fishery management largely relies on in-season assessment of how many salmon return to fresh water to spawn. - Managers set harvest levels based on these returns. When abundance is high and the number of fish returning is much higher than that needed to meet escapement goals, harvest levels are set higher. - In years of low abundance, harvest levels are lowered. - During the fishing season, scientists monitor catch and escapement, comparing current returns with those from previous years, to keep an eye on abundance and actively manage the fishery. - Off the West Coast and in Alaska, the [Pacific Salmon Treaty](https://www.psc.org/about_treaty.htm) and the [Pacific Salmon Commission](https://www.psc.org/index.htm) help coordinate management, research, and enhancement of shared U.S. and international salmon stocks, including pink salmon. cholesterol: | 52 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 67 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Pink salmon are anadromous – they hatch in freshwater streams and rivers then migrate out to the saltwater environment of the ocean to feed and grow. - Unlike [coho](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/coho-salmon), [Chinook](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/chinook-salmon), or [sockeye](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/sockeye-salmon) salmon, pink salmon do not reside in fresh water for an extended period. - Young pink salmon (fry) typically migrate directly to estuarine and marine waters soon after they are born. - Once they reach the ocean, they feed voraciously and grow rapidly. In fact, they’re among the fastest growing of the Pacific salmon species. - After about 1½ years of feeding and growing in the ocean, maturing pink salmon return to fresh water to spawn, usually from August to October. - Females construct nests (redds) in the riverbed by turning on their sides and vigorously flexing their bodies and tails, digging a shallow hole. - Females deposit between 1,200 and 1,900 eggs in the redds, which the males then fertilize. - The female stays and defends her redd from other females until she dies, usually within two weeks. - All pink salmon die after they spawn. - They typically spawn at the age of 2. - Because the pink salmon life cycle is so regular, independent populations spawn in even and odd years. For example, in the southern part of their range, they usually spawn in odd years in most river systems. However, pink salmon do spawn in even years in some Puget Sound rivers. - Throughout most of Alaska, there is no dominant year, except in the northwestern part of Alaska where even-year runs predominate. - Pink salmon feed on small crustaceans, zooplankton (tiny floating animals), squid, and small fish. - In fresh water, aquatic invertebrates, other fishes, birds, and small mammals prey on pink salmon eggs, alevins, and fry. - In the ocean, other fishes (including other Pacific salmon) and coastal seabirds prey on pink salmon fry and juveniles. - Marine mammals, sharks, other fishes (such as [Pacific halibut](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/pacific-halibut)), and humpback whales feed on adult pink salmon. - In freshwater spawning habitats, bears are predators of adult pink salmon. Wolves, river otters, and bald eagles will also occasionally eat pre-spawning adult pinks. - After salmon spawn and die, [salmon carcasses](http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildlifenews.view_article&articles_id=97&issue_id=21) are a valuable source of energy and nutrients to the river ecosystem. Carcasses have been shown to improve newly hatched salmon growth and survival by contributing nitrogen and phosphorous compounds to streams. - calories: 106 physical_description: | - Northern shrimp are crustaceans, like lobsters and crabs. - They are much smaller than warm-water shrimp, averaging 2 to 4 inches in length. - When alive, the tails and bodies of northern shrimp are more red than pink, and the shells are translucent. - They have appendages called [pleopods](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/femad/pbb/fwdp/training/img35.jpg) on their tail that act like paddles and enable them to move with remarkable agility over considerable distances. human_health: texture: Firm and moist. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Northern Shrimp diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-northern-shrimp habitat_impacts: | Bottom trawl gear used to harvest northern shrimp has minimal impact on habitat. location: | - Northern shrimp are found in the western North Atlantic from Maine to Massachusetts, but the bulk of the harvest comes from Maine. They are also found and harvested on the West Coast and in Alaska, as well as in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. color: | When alive, their tails and bodies are more red than pink and their shells are translucent. When cooked, the shells are pink and the meat is white tinged with pink.  species_aliases: | [Pink shrimp](/species-aliases/pink-shrimp), [Salad shrimp](/species-aliases/salad-shrimp), [Coldwater shrimp](/species-aliases/coldwater-shrimp), [Deep water prawn](/species-aliases/deep-water-prawn) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_52.jpg title: | Northern shrimp are often referred to as salad shrimp because they are small, reaching only 2 to 4 inches in length. alt: | A picture of an Northern Shrimp being measured. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_41.jpg title: | Northern shrimp are hauled aboard a shrimp boat. alt: | A picture of northern shrimp being hauled aboard a shrimp boat. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_35.jpg title: | A plate of Atlantic Northern Shrimp. alt: | A plate of Atlantic Northern Shrimp. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2.JPG title: | Measuring a northern shrimp. alt: | Measuring a northern shrimp. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/5%20Distribution%20of%20adult%20female%20northern%20shrimp.jpg title: | Map showing the distribution of adult female northern shrimp. alt: | Map showing the distribution of adult female northern shrimp. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 38 mcg management: habitat: | - Northern shrimp are found in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and Arctic Oceans. On the U.S. Atlantic coast, northern shrimp are mainly found in waters off of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. - They live on soft mud bottoms in waters approximately 30 to 1,000 feet deep. - Northern shrimp appear to travel with seasonal changes in water temperature. They’re only common in nearshore waters during late winter and spring when these waters are coldest. - Egg-bearing females move inshore in late fall and winter when nearshore waters have cooled. After their eggs hatch (February to April), females return to offshore waters in the western Gulf of Maine. - Larvae and young juveniles remain in nearshore waters for up to 20 months as they develop. After 1 year, juveniles begin to migrate offshore to deeper waters.  farming_methods: scientific_name: Pandalus borealis production: fat_total: 1.73 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize non-shrimp bycatch and minimize the catch of small (male) shrimp with low market value. availability: | Usually available fresh from winter to spring and frozen year-round, but currently unavailable because the fishery is closed. research: | - Northern shrimp are sensitive to temperature. [Thermal habitat is key](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/press_release/pr2017/features/gulf-of-maine-shrimp-habitat/). - [A Contemporary Assessment of the Bycatch of Regulated Species and the Nordmore Grate in the Northern Shrimp Fishery](http://northeastconsortium.org/pdfs/awards_2007/Eayrs%2007/Eayrs%2007%20Final%20Report.pdf) fishing_rate: | Fishing for northern shrimp is prohibited. quote_background_color: | \#de563a sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Sweet and more flavorful than warm-water shrimp. health_benefits: | Northern shrimp are low in saturated fat and high in iron, phosphorus, and zinc. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - The fishery has been closed by moratorium since 2014 because the stock has collapsed. Due to continued low population levels the moratorium has been extended each year. - Following high landings in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the fishery was closed in 1978 due to a stock collapse. It was reopened the following year, and landings increased throughout the 1980s and 1990s before dropping again. For several seasons prior to the 2014 fishing moratorium, the commercial season was closed early due to landings exceeding the catch limit. - The fishery is seasonal in nature, peaking in late winter when egg-bearing females move into inshore waters where the eggs hatch. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Fishermen mainly use otter trawls to harvest northern shrimp, although some Maine fishermen use traps. - Northern shrimp are harvested over soft mud bottoms, which are more resilient to the impacts of trawling compared to structured habitats such as corals. Also, the small mesh in the shrimp otter trawls creates more drag than a groundfish net and can’t be towed as fast for the same size net, reducing the potential impact on shrimp habitat. - Minimum mesh size in trawls to prevent bycatch of small male shrimp. - Finfish excluder devices and size-sorting grates in the gear to prevent bycatch of groundfish and small male shrimp. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/northern\_shrimp.png title: | Atlantic Northern Shrimp alt: | An illustration of an Atlantic Northern Shrimp saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.328 g quote: | Commercial fishing for northern shrimp is prohibited due to its extremely depleted state. carbohydrate: | 0.91 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to Massachusetts. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2018 stock assessment](http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/5c000eb2NShrimpAssessmentUpdateReport_2018.pdf) conducted by the [Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission](http://www.asmfc.org/species/northern-shrimp), the northern shrimp stock has collapsed and stock size has remained at unprecedented lows for several years. Since there has been a fishing moratorium in place since 2014, there is no directed fishing, and the stock is not subject to overfishing. - Abundance of northern shrimp is primarily monitored by the joint State-Federal summer [shrimp survey](http://www.asmfc.org/fisheries-science/surveys). The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Northern Shrimp Technical Committee provides annual stock assessments and related information to fishery managers. - Recruitment of northern shrimp is dependent on several factors including ocean temperatures and spawning biomass. Ocean temperatures in the western Gulf of Maine have increased in recent years and are predicted to continue rising. This suggests an increasingly inhospitable environment for northern shrimp and the need for strong conservation efforts to help sustain the stock. - An increase in northern shrimp predators ([spiny dogfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-spiny-dogfish), [redfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/acadian-redfish), and [silver hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/silver-hake)) may also be contributing to a decline in the stock. population: | Significantly below target population level. Fishing is prohibited in the United States. protein: | 20.31 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - The states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts cooperatively manage the northern shrimp resource under the framework of the [Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission's](http://www.asmfc.org/) [Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Northern Shrimp](http://www.asmfc.org/species/northern-shrimp). - Fishery closed since 2014 due to depleted stock conditions. - Annual catch limits with seasonal closures when a percentage of the catch limit is projected to be caught. - Limits on the amount of northern shrimp that can be harvested per fishing trip. - Limits on the number of traps fishermen can set during a season. - Days out of the fishery – certain days during the fishing season are closed to fishing to slow catch rates and prolong the fishing season, or to make shrimp available when demand is greatest. - Minimum mesh size in trawl nets to prevent bycatch of undersized shrimp. - Requirement to use [finfish excluder devices](http://images.slideplayer.com/24/6987356/slides/slide_20.jpg) to reduce bycatch in the fishery. - Due to the variability in population size from year to year, managers annually adjust management measures (e.g., fishing season length, harvest limits, etc.), based on the results of annual stock assessments and stakeholder input. - Amendment 3 to the Interstate Fisheries Management Plan for Northern Shrimp outlines measures to improve management in the event that the fishery re-opens. These measures include: - State-specific allocations of the total allowable catch. - Required use of a double-[Nordmore grate](http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/peches-fisheries/ifmp-gmp/shrimp-crevette/images/shrimp-crevette-2003-fig2b-eng.jpg) or compound grate system to minimize catch of small male shrimp. - Strengthened reporting requirements for catch and landings. cholesterol: | 152 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 148 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Northern shrimp are protandrous hermaphrodites – they begin life as males and sexually mature at roughly 2½ years old. They transform to females at about 3½ years old. - They start spawning in late July in offshore waters, mainly in deep mud basins in the southwestern Gulf of Maine. By early fall, most adult females have pushed their eggs out onto their abdomen. - In late fall through winter, egg-bearing females move inshore where the eggs hatch. Juveniles remain in coastal waters for a year or more before migrating to deeper offshore waters, where they mature as males. - Their reproductive success, growth, and development can be affected by temperature. They can grow up to 3 or 4 inches long, and most do not live past age 5. - They prey on plankton (tiny floating plants and animals) and bottom-dwelling invertebrates. - They are eaten by many important fish species such as cod, redfish, and silver and white hake. - Northern shrimp are an important part of the marine food chain, and maintaining a healthy population is important to supporting a balanced Gulf of Maine ecosystem. - calories: 121 physical_description: | - Swordfish have a long, flattened bill that looks like a sword, as their name implies. - They have a stout, rounded body and large eyes. - Their first dorsal fin is tall and crescent-shaped. The second is much smaller. - Their anal fins are similar in shape to the dorsal fins but smaller. - They have a broad, crescent-shaped tail. - Their color is darkest on top, generally black or brown. - Adult swordfish have no teeth or scales. human_health: texture: Firm, with a moderately high oil content. environmental_considerations: species_name: North Pacific Swordfish diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/north-pacific-swordfish habitat_impacts: | Fishing gear used to catch Pacific swordfish rarely contacts the seafloor so habitat impacts are minimal. location: | - Swordfish are found around the world in tropical, temperate, and sometimes cold waters of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, including the waters around the U.S. Pacific Islands and off the U.S. West Coast.   color: | When raw, the flesh varies from white and ivory to pink and orange. When cooked, swordfish meat turns beige. species_aliases: | [Broadbill swordfish](/species-aliases/broadbill-swordfish), [Espada](/species-aliases/espada), [Emperado](/species-aliases/emperado), [A\`u](/species-aliases/au), [Mekajiki](/species-aliases/mekajiki), [Shutome](/species-aliases/shutome) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_49.jpg title: | Swordfish’s species name, gladius, is derived from the word for the sword carried by Roman legionaires. alt: | Swordfish’s species name, gladius, is derived from the word for the sword carried by Roman legionaires. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_39.jpg title: | Because of their size and the risk of serious injury to the tagging crew, satellite tags are harpooned into large swordfish rather than bringing them aboard. alt: | Because of their size and the risk of serious injury to the tagging crew, satellite tags are harpooned into large swordfish rather than bringing them aboard. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_40.jpg title: | Swordfish harpoon boat, Dana Point, California. alt: | Swordfish harpoon boat, Dana Point, California. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_34.jpg title: | Swordfish steaks. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. alt: | Swordfish steaks. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_29.jpg title: '' alt: | Swordfish seafood dish. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 48.1 mcg management: habitat: | - Swordfish live in surface water to mid-water but feed throughout the water column. - Scientists know little about the migration of Pacific swordfish, but tagging data suggest swordfish move eastward from the central Pacific, north of Hawaii, toward the U.S. West Coast. farming_methods: scientific_name: Xiphias gladius production: fat_total: 4.01 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round.   research: | - NOAA’s [Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center](https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/) maintains [TurtleWatch](https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/eod/turtlewatch.php)—a map providing up-to-date information about the thermal habitat of loggerhead sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean north of the Hawaiian Islands. These maps are used by swordfish fishermen to avoid fishing in waters preferred by loggerhead sea turtles. - NOAA’s [Pacific Islands](https://www.pifsc.noaa.gov/) and [Southwest Fisheries Science Centers](https://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=FRD&ParentMenuId=141&id=1127) conduct additional research on swordfish to inform management of the species. - [Testing of deep-set buoy gear](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/stories/2017/06_02062017_swordfish_efp_tagging.html) as a means to selectively target swordfish off of the U.S. West Coast. fishing_rate: | At recommended level in the Western and Central North Pacific. Reduced to end overfishing in the Eastern Pacific. quote_background_color: | \#2d2e2a sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Moist, flavorful, and slightly sweet. health_benefits: | Swordfish is an excellent source of selenium, niacin, vitamin B12, and zinc. More information on [health and seafood](https://www.fishwatch.gov/eating-seafood/health). harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of swordfish in Hawaii totaled more than 3.5 million pounds and were valued at approximately $6 million. - In 2017, commercial landings of swordfish in California totaled more than 1.5 million pounds and were valued at more than $3.8 million. - The majority of North Pacific swordfish landed in California is landed by Hawaii-based vessels. - Hawaii-based longliners accounted for approximately 85 percent of U.S. catch of North Pacific swordfish and 16 percent of all North Pacific-wide swordfish catch in 2017. - Total U.S. catch in 2017 was more than 4.1 million pounds, approximately 19 percent of the North Pacific–wide swordfish catch. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Commercial fishermen use longline gear to harvest swordfish in federal waters off of Hawaii and on the high seas. - On the West Coast, commercial fishermen harvest swordfish using drift gillnets and harpoons. - Fishing gear used to catch swordfish rarely contacts the seafloor so habitat impacts are minimal. - Longlines and gillnets can incidentally catch sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds, sharks, and other finfish species. Gear restrictions and operational requirements are in place to minimize bycatch. - U.S. longline and drift gillnet vessels operate under regulations to minimize impacts on other species. - Recreational fishery: - Off the U.S. West Coast, recreational fishermen fish for swordfish with rod-and-reel gear. They are prohibited from selling their catch. - Fishermen must have a fishing license to catch and land swordfish and are allowed to keep two swordfish per day. - Commercial passenger fishing vessels must have a permit and keep a monthly log of their fishing activity. - There are no federal regulations for recreational fishing off Hawaii and U.S. Pacific Island territories, but local rules may apply. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/north\_atlantic\_swordfish\_0.png title: '' alt: | North pacific swordfish saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 1.097 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught North Pacific swordfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Hawaii, California, U.S. Pacific Island territories, and the high seas. noaa_fisheries_region: | West Coast, Pacific Islands animal_health: population_status: | - North Pacific swordfish are split into two stocks, an Eastern Pacific Ocean stock and a Western and Central North Pacific Ocean stock. - According to the [2014 stock assessment](http://isc.fra.go.jp/reports/bill/bill_2014_1.html), the Eastern Pacific Ocean stock is not overfished but is subject to overfishing. - According to the [2018 stock assessment](http://isc.fra.go.jp/pdf/ISC18/ISC_18_ANNEX_16_Stock_Assessment_of_WCNPO_Swordfish_through_2016_FINAL.pdf), the Western and Central North Pacific Ocean stock is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 19.8 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [Pacific Fishery Management Council](https://www.pcouncil.org/) manage the North Pacific swordfish fishery on the West Coast. - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for U.S. West Coast Fisheries for Highly Migratory Species](https://www.pcouncil.org/highly-migratory-species/fishery-management-plan-and-amendments/): - Fishermen are required to have permits and to record catch in logbooks. - Gear restrictions and operational requirements are in place to minimize bycatch. - Longline and drift gillnet fishing boats are required to carry observers when requested. - Longline fishing is prohibited within 200 miles of the U.S. West Coast. - Longline fishing regulations vary by gear type (shallow-set, deep-set, etc.) and fishing area (eastern Pacific, high seas, etc.). - Drift gillnets are allowed in federal waters but not in state waters. - Time and areas closures are in place to protect leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles. - Training in safe handling and release techniques for protected species is required and all longline vessels must carry and use specific equipment for handling and releasing these animals. - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/pacific-islands) and [Western Pacific Fishery Management Council](http://wpcouncil.org/) manage the North Pacific swordfish fishery in the Pacific Islands. - Managed under the [Fishery Ecosystem Plan for the Pelagic Fisheries of the Western Pacific](http://www.wpcouncil.org/fishery-plans-policies-reports/pelagics_fe/): - Fishermen are required to have permits and to record catch in logbooks. - A limit on the number of permits for Hawaii and American Samoa longline fisheries controls participation in the fishery. - Gear restrictions and operational requirements to minimize bycatch: - Circle hooks and finfish bait reduce the number of sea turtles caught and cause less injury to sea turtles that are hooked. - Sea turtle handling and release protocols that minimize further injury and increase the chance of survival. - Annual limits on the number of leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles that can be caught in the Hawaii longline fishery. If either limit is reached, the fishery is closed for the rest of the year. - Gear restrictions to minimize seabird interactions and injury to seabirds. - Longline fishing is prohibited in some areas to protect endangered Hawaiian monk seals and to reduce conflicts between fishermen. - These areas are enforced through the NOAA Fisheries [vessel monitoring system program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement/vessel-monitoring) (longline boats must be equipped with a satellite transponder that provides real-time position updates and tracks vessel movements). - Hawaii-based longline vessels must carry onboard observers when requested by NOAA Fisheries, in part to record interactions with sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals. - Annual training in safe handling and release techniques for protected species is required, and all vessels must carry and use specific equipment for handling and releasing these animals. - Management of highly migratory species, like Pacific swordfish, is complicated because the species migrate thousands of miles across international boundaries and are fished by many nations. - Effective conservation and management of this resource requires international cooperation as well as strong domestic management. - Two organizations, the [Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)](http://www.iattc.org/HomeENG.htm) and the [Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC)](https://www.wcpfc.int/), manage this fishery internationally. Historically, the [International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean (ISC)](http://isc.fra.go.jp/) conducted stock assessments to determine the status of both the Western and Central North Pacific Ocean stock and the Eastern Pacific Ocean stock of swordfish. However, the IATTC is expected to conduct the next assessment of the Eastern Pacific Ocean stock. Working with the U.S. Department of State, NOAA Fisheries domestically implements the IATTC and WCPFC conservation and management measures. cholesterol: | 39 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 90 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Swordfish are one of the fastest and largest predators in the ocean. Their streamlined body allows them to swim at high speeds, up to 50 mph. - They grow rapidly, reaching a maximum length of 14 feet and almost 1,200 pounds (although the average size caught in the fishery is 50–200 pounds). - They are able to reproduce when they reach 5 to 6 years old. - Swordfish spawn numerous times throughout the year near the surface of warm tropical and sub-tropical waters. - In cooler waters, they spawn several times during the spring and summer. - Swordfish are productive, and their eggs are fertilized externally and float at the sea surface where they incubate for about 2 1/2 days. Swordfish live for about 9 years. - Swordfish feed on a variety of fish and invertebrates such as squid. - They capture their prey by slashing their bills back and forth, stunning or injuring the prey in the process. - They have developed unique characteristics, such as special eye muscles and a heat exchange system that allow them to swim in deep cold water in search of prey. - Swordfish feed at the top of the food chain and are rarely preyed upon by other animals, but juvenile swordfish are sometimes eaten by sharks and larger predatory fish. - calories: 205 physical_description: | - Atlantic mackerel are iridescent blue green on the back with a silvery white underbelly. - They have 20 to 30 wavy black bars that run across the top half of their body, and a narrow dark streak that runs below these bars along each side. - Their body is spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends. - Their two large dorsal fins are gray or dusky. The pectoral fins are black or dusky at the base, and the tail fin is gray or dusky. - Their distinctive coloring fades quickly after they die. human_health: texture: Soft, flaky, and moist. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Mackerel diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-mackerel habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest Atlantic mackerel have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Atlantic mackerel are found on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean, including in the Baltic Sea. In the western Atlantic, they’re found from Labrador to North Carolina. color: | Raw meat looks grayish and oily. When cooked it is off-white to beige. species_aliases: | [Mackerel](/species-aliases/mackerel), [Common mackerel](/species-aliases/common-mackerel), [Boston mackerel](/species-aliases/boston-mackerel), [Caballa](/species-aliases/caballa) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_48.jpg title: | Atlantic mackerel. alt: | Atlantic mackerel. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_38.jpg title: | Atlantic mackerel collected by researchers during a bottom trawl survey. NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center conducts these surveys to provide information on the abundance, biology, and distribution of the marine resources in the Northwest Atlantic. alt: | Atlantic mackerel collected by researchers during a bottom trawl survey. NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center conducts these surveys to provide information on the abundance, biology, and distribution of the marine resources in the Northwest Atlantic. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_39.jpg title: | Historic photograph of fishermen dressing and salting mackerel onboard a vessel in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts. alt: | Historic photograph of fishermen dressing and salting mackerel onboard a vessel in Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_33.jpg title: '' alt: | Atlantic mackerel seafood dish. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 44.1 mcg management: habitat: | - Atlantic mackerel are common in cold and temperate waters over the continental shelf. They swim in schools near the surface, and travel to and from spawning and summering grounds. farming_methods: scientific_name: Scomber scombrus production: fat_total: 13.89 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. Some is sold fresh in domestic markets, but most is frozen and exported to markets around the world. research: | - Scientists at NOAA’s [Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) collect information on Atlantic mackerel through their bottom trawl surveys. They research the abundance, biology, and distribution of Atlantic mackerel and other marine resources in the Northwest Atlantic. They use this information to assess the status of the Atlantic mackerel stock and provide recommendations to managers. - Atlantic mackerel are sensitive to changes in water temperature and migrate long distances on a seasonal basis to feed and spawn. NOAA Fisheries scientists have found that changing environmental factors have altered the distribution of Atlantic mackerel, shifting the stock northeastward and into shallower waters. These [findings](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/press_release/2011/SciSpot/SS1104/) could have significant implications for U.S. commercial and recreational mackerel fisheries, which mostly occur during late winter and early spring. fishing_rate: | Reduced to end overfishing. quote_background_color: | \#c3c792 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mackerel has a rich, pronounced flavor. For a milder flavor, cut out the outer bands of dark meat along the midline. health_benefits: | Mackerel is high in omega-3 fatty acids and is an excellent source of selenium, niacin, and vitamins B6 and B12. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2016, commercial landings of Atlantic mackerel totaled 11.7 million pounds and were valued at more than $3 million. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey harvested the majority. - Commercial landings from 2004 to 2016 ranged from a high of 125 million pounds in 2006 to a low of 1.1 million pounds in 2011. - The U.S. commercial fishery for Atlantic mackerel operates primarily between January and May in southern New England and Mid-Atlantic coastal waters and between May and December in the Gulf of Maine. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Fishermen harvest mackerel in large volumes using mid-water trawls. - Although mid-water trawls have minimal impact on habitat, they can incidentally catch marine mammals such as short- and long-finned pilot whales, Atlantic white-sided dolphins, and common dolphins. - The [Atlantic Trawl Gear Take Reduction Strategy](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/prot_res/atgtrp/meeting/ATGTRT%20Draft%20Take%20Reduction%20Strategy%20FINAL.pdf) provides measures to reduce potential impacts of bycatch. These include outreach to educate fishermen about actions to take in the event of a marine mammal interaction and efforts to communicate interaction hotspots to fishermen in real time. It also contains voluntary measures concerning fishing practices, such as reducing tow times and limiting turns while fishing. - The mackerel fishery has some incidental catch of river herring and shad. A cap was established in 2014 to limit river herring and shad catch in the mackerel fishery. - Recreational fishery: - Mackerel are important to recreational fisheries in the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions, with the highest landings occurring from Massachusetts to Maine. - In 2016, recreational harvest of Atlantic mackerel totaled 3 million pounds, most of which was caught in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.  - The recreational mackerel fishery is open all year, with a catch limit set annually at the same time as commercial limits. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_mackerel.png title: '' alt: | Atlantic mackerel saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 3.257 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic mackerel is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1803/), Atlantic mackerel are overfished, and are subject to overfishing. - Atlantic mackerel previously had an unknown status, but the 2018 stock assessment indicated the stock has been overfished for nearly a decade. population: | Significantly below target population levels. Rebuilding plan is under development. protein: | 18.6 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/msb/) and the [Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council](http://www.mafmc.org/) manage the Atlantic mackerel fishery. - Managed under the [Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.mafmc.org/msb/): - Mackerel are managed in federal waters. There are no state management measures for mackerel. - Managed using annual catch limits allocated between the commercial and recreational fisheries. - Managers monitor commercial catch on a weekly basis and will close the fisheries if the limits are reached before the fishing season is over. - Fishermen must have a permit to harvest Atlantic mackerel. - Managers limit the amount of available permits to control harvests. - Under a [limited access program](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/nero/hotnews/AtlMackLAP/), permits are issued to qualifying fishermen, dividing fishermen into three tiers based on their past participation in the fishery. This program is designed to reduce the fishing capacity of the mackerel fleet while allowing qualified vessels to continue fishing for mackerel at their historical or recent level of participation. cholesterol: | 70 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 90 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Atlantic mackerel grow fast, up to 16 ½ inches and 2.2 pounds. - They can live up to 20 years and are able to reproduce by the time they reach age 2 to 3. - There are two major spawning groups of Atlantic mackerel in the western Atlantic: - The southern group spawns primarily in the Mid-Atlantic Bight from April to May. - The northern group spawns in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in June and July. - Both groups typically spawn 10 to 30 miles off shore. - Depending on their size, females can have between 285,000 and almost 2 million eggs. They release their eggs in batches, between five and seven times throughout the spawning season. - Eggs generally float in the surface water and hatch in 4 to 7 ½ days, depending on water temperature. - Atlantic mackerel feed heavily on crustaceans such as copepods, krill, and shrimp. They also eat squid, as well as some fish and ascidians (sac-like marine invertebrate filter feeders). - Several species of fish and marine mammals eat Atlantic mackerel. - calories: 130 physical_description: | - Bigeye tuna are dark metallic blue on the back and upper sides and white on the lower sides and belly. - The first fin on their back is deep yellow, the second dorsal and anal fins are pale yellow, and the finlets are bright yellow with black edges. - Bigeye and [yellowfin](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna) tuna look fairly similar. In fact, it’s hard to distinguish the two species without experience. - Among other characteristics, the bigeye’s eyes are larger than the yellowfin’s and their finlets have black edges. human_health: texture: Firm and moist with large flakes. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Bigeye Tuna diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-bigeye-tuna habitat_impacts: | Fishing gear used to catch bigeye tuna rarely contacts the seafloor so habitat impacts are minimal. location: | - Bigeye tuna live in the tropical and warm temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. - In the western Atlantic, they can be found from Southern Nova Scotia to Brazil. color: | Bigeye tuna meat has a reddish-pink color. species_aliases: | [Tuna](/species-aliases/tuna), [Big eye](/species-aliases/big-eye), [Ahi-b](/species-aliases/ahi-b) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_47.jpg title: | Measuring a bigeye tuna. alt: | Measuring a bigeye tuna. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_37.jpg title: | Bigeye tuna catch. alt: | Bigeye tuna catch. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_38.jpg title: | A fishery observer measuring a bigeye tuna. alt: | A fishery observer measuring a bigeye tuna. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_32.jpg title: | Bigeye tuna on ice. alt: | Bigeye tuna on ice. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_28.jpg title: '' alt: | Bigeye tuna sushi. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 160% daily value management: habitat: | - Bigeye tuna are a highly migratory species, swimming long distances throughout the ocean. - They often swim in schools and live at or near the surface but dive into deeper waters (to about 800 feet, deeper than other tropical tunas) during the day. - Larvae are found in tropical waters, and as juvenile fish grow larger they tend to move into temperate waters. - As juveniles they often school with [yellowfin](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna) and [skipjack](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-skipjack-tuna) tunas at the surface, especially in warm waters. farming_methods: scientific_name: Thunnus obesus production: fat_total: 2 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Skipjack often school around floating objects, including [fish aggregating devices](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/fishing-gear-fish-aggregating-devices) (FADs) intentionally placed in the water to attract fish. Foreign purse seiners and baitboats have used FADs extensively in the Atlantic since the early 1990s to catch skipjack, primarily off the coast of West Africa. Researchers have found that the increasing use of FADs has changed the species composition of tuna catches, resulting in a higher capture rate of juvenile [yellowfin](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna) and bigeye tuna for vessels targeting [skipjack](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-skipjack-tuna). The higher capture rate of juvenile bigeye tuna in purse seine fisheries associated with FADs has been demonstrated by ICCAT to reduce the overall maximum sustainable yield of the stock. The increased presence of FADs may also have an impact on the biology and ecology of skipjack, bigeye, and yellowfin tuna. Also, sea turtles and marine mammals can become entangled in nets, ropes, and lines that are used in the FADs. This research influenced ICAAT’s requirements related to the use of FADs in the bigeye tuna fishery (see management section). fishing_rate: | The United States is working with other nations to reduce harvest rates and end overfishing. quote_background_color: | \#102b50 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Bigeye tuna has a mild, meaty flavor, with a higher fat content than [yellowfin tuna](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna). Sashimi lovers prefer it. health_benefits: | Bigeye tuna is low in saturated fat and sodium and is rich in niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, selenium, and phosphorous. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - U.S. harvest of Atlantic bigeye tuna is usually only a small fraction (1 percent or less) of the global Atlantic bigeye harvest. - In 2017, U.S. commercial landings of Atlantic bigeye tuna totaled 788 metric tons dressed weight, and were valued at more than $5.4 million.. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - U.S. commercial fishermen mainly harvest bigeye tuna using pelagic longlines. They sometimes use rod-and-reel gear. - Fishing gear used to catch bigeye tuna rarely contacts the seafloor so habitat impacts are minimal. - Commercial fishing gear can catch protected species such as marine mammals and sea turtles. - NOAA Fisheries has taken the following additional measures to reduce bycatch, bycatch mortality, and sustainably manage the pelagic longline fishery. Fishermen are: - Required to use large circle hooks and certain types of bait that limit gear interactions with sea turtles. Circle hooks are specifically designed to minimize the damage caused by hooking, giving animals that are captured and released a better chance at survival. - Trained to use special techniques to safely dehook and release any incidentally caught turtles. - Required to stop fishing and move 1 nautical mile if they encounter a protected species. - Required to protect pilot whales and Risso's dolphins when fishing in the Mid-Atlantic Bight by limiting the length of their lines to 20 nautical miles and posting [marine mammal handling/release guidelines](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/atlantic-highly-migratory-species/safe-handling-release-and-identification-workshops) on their vessels. In addition, if fishing in the Cape Hatteras Special Research Area, pelagic longliners must contact NOAA Fisheries at least 48 hours prior to a trip and carry observers if requested. - Required to use weak hooks in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce incidental catch of bluefin tuna and prohibited from using live bait to reduce bycatch of billfish. - Restricted from certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico to reduce bycatch of multiple species. - Required to carry [vessel monitoring systems](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement/vessel-monitoring) onboard their boats to ensure compliance with these closures. - Required to carry at-sea fisheries observers upon request. NOAA Fisheries reviews observer data to monitor protected species interactions and takes appropriate action as necessary. - Required to install electronic monitoring (cameras) and submit camera hard drives to NOAA Fisheries to monitor bluefin tuna catch and discards. - Recreational fishery: - Recreational fishermen must have a permit to fish for bigeye tuna. - Minimum size limit. - Recreational fishing for highly migratory species such as bigeye tuna provides significant economic benefits to coastal communities through individual angler expenditures, recreational charters, tournaments, and the shoreside businesses that support those activities. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_bigeye\_tuna\_0.png title: '' alt: | Atlantic bigeye tuna saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.5 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic bigeye tuna—while only a small percent (about 1%) of the total Atlantic-wide harvest—is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 113 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Massachusetts to Florida. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://www.iccat.int/en/assess.html), Atlantic bigeye tuna are overfished and are subject to overfishing. - The [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](https://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT) assesses the abundance of Atlantic bigeye tuna and evaluates the sustainability of current and proposed harvest practices. They use the scientific information from these assessments to make management recommendations. population: | Significantly below target population level. The United States is working with other nations to develop an international rebuilding plan. protein: | 27 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov) and the [Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species) manage the Atlantic bigeye tuna fishery in the United States. - Managed under the [Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/consolidated-atlantic-highly-migratory-species-management-plan): - Commercial fishermen must have a permit to harvest bigeye tuna. - Gear restrictions. - Time/area closures. - Minimum size limit. - Federal management for Atlantic tunas applies to state waters as well, except in Maine, Connecticut, and Mississippi. NOAA Fisheries periodically reviews these states’ regulations to make sure they’re consistent with federal regulations. - Highly migratory species, such as bigeye tuna, have complicated management that requires international cooperation. - The United States participates in regional fisheries management organizations, such as the [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](https://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT), to enhance tuna management worldwide and promote the rigorous stewardship standards followed by our own U.S. fishermen. - NOAA Fisheries sets regulations for the U.S. western Atlantic bigeye tuna fishery based on our science as well as conservation and management measures adopted by ICCAT. ICCAT conservation and management recommendations include: - An annual total allowable catch of 65,000 metric tons allocated among major harvesters, sharing arrangements for member countries, minimum size limits, effort controls, time/area closures, trade tracking requirements, compliance measures, and monitoring and inspection programs. - ICCAT remains concerned about unreported catches and is actively working to improve statistics by working with tuna canneries in West Africa. - Since 2011, ICCAT has also instituted numerous requirements related to catch reporting and measures to manage the use of fishy aggregating devices. - The United States has strongly advocated for management measures at ICCAT to end overfishing and rebuild the stock within 10 years.  NOAA Fisheries will continue to work with ICCAT to develop effective measures to end overfishing and to implement an international rebuilding program. - In 2000, the United States established the [Dolphin-Safe Tuna Tracking and Verification Program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/dolphin-safe) to monitor the domestic production and importation of all frozen and processed tuna products nationwide and to authenticate any associated dolphin-safe claim. cholesterol: | 45 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 70 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Bigeye tuna grow fast and can reach about 5.5 feet in length. - They can live up to 9 years and are able to reproduce when they are 3.5 years old. - Bigeye tuna spawn throughout the year but most often in the summer. - They usually spawn two or more times a year. - Females release between 3 million and 6 million eggs each time they spawn. - Bigeye tuna feed near the top of the food chain, preying on fish, crustaceans, and squid. - They are prey for many top predators, including sharks, billfish, larger tunas, and toothed whales. - calories: 150 physical_description: | - Albacore tuna are metallic, dark blue on the back with dusky to silvery white coloration along the sides of the belly. - They have exceptionally long pectoral fins, which are nearly half the length of their bodies. - The edge of the tail fin is white. human_health: texture: Firm texture and large, moist flakes. Albacore meat is not as dense or firm as bluefin tuna, so it’s not as well-suited for sashimi. environmental_considerations: species_name: North Atlantic Albacore Tuna diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/north-atlantic-albacore-tuna habitat_impacts: | Fishing gear used to harvest North Atlantic albacore tuna has no impact on habitat because it does not contact the ocean floor. location: | - Albacore tuna live in tropical and warm temperate waters in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. In the Atlantic, they’re found from Nova Scotia to northern Argentina, and from Ireland to South Africa. color: | Lightest-colored meat of all the tunas – it can range from light beige to almost brown when raw, but becomes off-white when cooked. When canned, it’s the only tuna meat allowed to be labeled “white meat.” species_aliases: | [Northern albacore](/species-aliases/northern-albacore), [Longfin tuna](/species-aliases/longfin-tuna), [Germon](/species-aliases/germon) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_46.jpg title: | Albacore on the line. alt: | Albacore on the line. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_36.jpg title: | Measuring an albacore tuna. alt: | Measuring an albacore tuna. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_37.jpg title: | A recreational fisherman with his catch of albacore. alt: | A recreational fisherman with his catch of albacore. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_31.jpg title: | A fisherman displays his catch of albacore. alt: | A fisherman displays his catch of albacore. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_27.jpg title: '' alt: | Atlantic albacore sushi dish. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Albacore tuna are a highly migratory species – they are found around the world and can travel long distances. - They are a temperate (cooler water) species but spawn in warmer tropical waters. - Juveniles prefer warmer surface waters, and adults like cooler, deeper waters.  farming_methods: scientific_name: Thunnus alalunga production: fat_total: 2 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Fresh year-round, with peaks in the fall, and frozen year-round. research: | - NOAA Fisheries scientists continue to research improvements in how they model changes in the Atlantic albacore tuna population and the impact of fishing on the resource. fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#79b5dc sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild, rich taste. health_benefits: | Low in fat and cholesterol with the most omega-3 fatty acids of any of the tuna species. More information on [health and seafood](https://www.fishwatch.gov/eating-seafood/health). harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - U.S. fishermen catch approximately 1 percent of the total international catch of North Atlantic albacore. - In 2016, U.S. commercial landings of North Atlantic albacore totaled 170 metric tons dressed weight and were valued at $563,784. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Albacore in the North Atlantic are most often harvested incidentally in the commercial pelagic longline fishery for swordfish and other tunas. U.S. commercial fishermen also use rod-and-reel gear to catch albacore tuna. - Fishing gear used to catch albacore has no impact on habitat because it’s used in the water column and doesn’t come into contact with the ocean floor. - Rod-and-reel gear is very selective and bycatch is minimal. U.S. commercial fishermen fishing with pelagic longline gear follow a number of strict regulations to prevent incidentally catching marine mammals, sea turtles, and birds. - NOAA Fisheries has taken the following additional measures to prevent bycatch and sustainably manage this fishery. Fishermen are: - Required to use large circle hooks and certain types of bait that limit gear interactions with sea turtles. Circle hooks are specifically designed to minimize the damage caused by hooking, giving animals that are captured and released a better chance at survival. - Trained to use special techniques to safely dehook and release any incidentally caught turtles. - Required to stop fishing and move 1 nautical mile if they encounter a protected species. - Required to protect pilot whales and Risso's dolphins when fishing in the Mid-Atlantic Bight by limiting the length of their lines to 20 nautical miles and posting [marine mammal handling/release guidelines](http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/interactions/handling_release.pdf) on their vessels. In addition, if fishing in the Cape Hatteras Special Research Area, pelagic longliners must contact NOAA Fisheries at least 48 hours prior to a trip and carry observers if requested. - Required to use [weak hooks](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110401_weakhook.html) in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce incidental catch of bluefin tuna and prohibited from using live bait to reduce bycatch of billfish. - Restricted from areas of the Gulf of Mexico to reduce bycatch of all species. - Required to carry [vessel monitoring systems](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement/vessel-monitoring) onboard their boats to ensure compliance with these closures. - Required to carry at-sea fisheries observers upon request. NOAA Fisheries reviews observer data to monitor protected species interactions and takes appropriate action as necessary. - Recreational fishery: - Recreational fishing for highly migratory species such as albacore tuna provides significant economic benefits to coastal communities through individual angler expenditures, recreational charters, tournaments, and the shoreside businesses that support those activities. Federal permits are required. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_albacore\_tuna\_0.png title: '' alt: | Atlantic albacore tuna saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 1 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught North Atlantic albacore tuna is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 113 g / 4 oz (fresh) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Massachusetts to Louisiana. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2016 stock assessment](https://www.iccat.int/Documents/Meetings/Docs/2016_ALB_REPORT_ENG.pdf), North Atlantic albacore tuna are not overfished, have rebuilt to target population levels, and are not subject to overfishing - The [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](http://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT) assesses the abundance of North Atlantic albacore tuna and evaluates the sustainability of current and proposed harvest practices. They use the scientific information from these assessments to make management recommendations. - An international rebuilding plan was put in place in 2010. The stock was declared rebuilt in 2016, and since then has been managed under a conservation and management program. - In 2017, ICCAT adopted an interim Harvest Control Rule (HCR) for northern albacore for 2018-2020, consistent with scientific advice, with the goal of adopting a long-term HCR following further Management Strategy Evaluation testing over the next few years. population: | Above target level and fishing rate promotes population growth. protein: | 31 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov), through the [Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species), manage the North Atlantic albacore tuna fishery in the United States. - Managed under the 2006 [Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/consolidated-atlantic-highly-migratory-species-management-plan) and amendments: - Commercial and recreational fishermen must have a permit to harvest North Atlantic albacore tuna. - Annual quota. - Gear restrictions. - Time/area closures. - Federal management for Atlantic tunas applies to state waters as well, except in Maine, Connecticut, and Mississippi. NOAA Fisheries periodically reviews these states’ regulations to make sure they’re consistent with federal regulations. - Highly migratory species, such as North Atlantic albacore tuna, have complicated management that requires international cooperation. - The United States participates in regional fisheries management organizations, such as the [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](http://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT), to enhance tuna management worldwide. NOAA Fisheries sets regulations for the U.S. North Atlantic albacore tuna fishery based on our science and conservation and management measures adopted by ICCAT. - In 2000, the United States established the [Dolphin-Safe Tuna Tracking and Verification Program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/dolphin-safe) to monitor the domestic production and importation of all frozen and processed tuna products nationwide and to authenticate any associated dolphin-safe claim. cholesterol: | 45 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 80 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Albacore grow relatively fast, up to more than 4 feet and 88 pounds. - In the Atlantic, they live up to 13 years and are able to reproduce by age 5. - In the spring and summer, albacore spawn in subtropical waters of the Atlantic and throughout the Mediterranean Sea. Depending on their size, females have between 2 million and 3 million eggs per spawning season. - Similarly sized albacore travel together in schools that can be up to 19 miles wide. Schools of albacore also sometimes include other tuna species such as skipjack, yellowfin, and bluefin. - Albacore constantly swim with their mouths open in order to breathe because they lack the structures needed to pump oxygen-rich water over their gills. - They have unique biological characteristics that enable them to swim at speeds over 50 miles per hour and cover vast areas during annual migrations: - Torpedo-shaped bodies, smooth skin, and streamlined fins. - Highly evolved circulatory system that regulates body temperature and increases muscle efficiency. - High metabolism. - High blood pressure, volume, and hemoglobin, all of which increase oxygen absorption. - Albacore tuna feed near the top of the food chain, preying upon a variety of fish, crustaceans, and squid. - They are prey for many top predators, including sharks, rays, larger tunas, and billfishes.  - calories: 79 physical_description: | - Acadian redfish are orange to flame red, with paler underbellies. - They have a flattened body that is longer than it is deep. - They have large eyes and a large mouth lined with many small teeth. - They have one continuous dorsal fin that runs from the nape of their neck to their caudal peduncle (where the body meets the tail) and a small tail fin. - Young redfish are marked with patches of black and green pigment. They don’t develop their red pigment until after they move to the ocean bottom. human_health: texture: Medium firm, moist, and flaky. environmental_considerations: species_name: Acadian Redfish diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/acadian-redfish habitat_impacts: | Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitat that are affected by some kinds of trawl gear. location: | - Acadian redfish are found in the Atlantic Ocean from the coast of Norway to Georges Bank. color: | White. species_aliases: | [Redfish](/species-aliases/redfish), [Ocean perch](/species-aliases/ocean-perch), [Labrador redfish](/species-aliases/labrador-redfish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/1\_4.jpg title: | Baskets of redfish for sampling during a trawl survey. alt: | Baskets of redfish for sampling during a trawl survey. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/2\_1.jpg title: | Acadian redfish are found in deep boulder reefs and among anemone forests in the muddy basins of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo credit: National Undersea Research Center, University of Connecticut) alt: | Acadian redfish are found in deep boulder reefs and among anemone forests in the muddy basins of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. (Photo credit: National Undersea Research Center, University of Connecticut) - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/3\_1.jpg title: | Measuring an Acadian redfish. Redfish can grow up to 20 inches long. alt: | Measuring an Acadian redfish. Redfish can grow up to 20 inches long. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/4\_3.jpg title: | Acadian redfish using the deep-sea coral Primnoa as shelter. alt: | Acadian redfish using the deep-sea coral Primnoa as shelter. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/5.jpg title: | Catch of Acadian redfish. alt: | Catch of Acadian redfish. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Acadian redfish are found over rocky, mud, or clay ocean bottoms. - Off New England they are most common in the deep waters of the Gulf of Maine (to depths of 975 feet). - They tend to move off the bottom at night to feed and move closer to shore in the winter. farming_methods: scientific_name: Sebastes fasciatus production: fat_total: 1.5 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Scientists at NOAA’s [Northeast Fisheries Science Center](http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) conduct bottom trawl surveys every year during the fall and spring in inshore and offshore areas off the northeast coast to assess and monitor the abundance of redfish and other species. Managers use these data along with information from Canadian, state agency, and university-run surveys to determine the status of the redfish stock. - [2017 Northeast Groundfish Operational Assessments website](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/groundfish/operational-assessments-2017/) - Funded by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's Cooperative Research Program, researchers, regulators, and industry members are conducting a project called “[REDNET: A Network to Redevelop a Sustainable Redfish (*Sebastes fasciatus*) Trawl Fishery in the Gulf of Maine](http://www.nefmc.org/research/cte_mtg_docs/120625/Rednet%20Report/FInalComponent2.pdf).” The primary objective of this project is to devise strategies and means to efficiently harvest the redfish resource in the Gulf of Maine while avoiding non-target catch. fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#c43b22 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild and slightly sweet. Redfish can be used as a substitute for haddock and similar fish. health_benefits: | Redfish is low in saturated fat. It’s a good source of niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, calcium, protein, phosphorus, and selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2016, commercial landings of Acadian redfish totaled 8.9 million pounds and were valued at $5.3 million. - Commercial fishermen harvested 43 percent of their annual catch limit in 2016. - NOAA Fisheries has been working with fishermen to increase opportunities to harvest redfish. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Redfish are most commonly harvested using trawl nets, although they are sometimes also caught using gillnets, bottom longline, and rod and reel. - Area closures and gear restrictions reduce habitat impacts from trawl nets. - Fishermen follow management measures to designed to reduce interactions with marine mammals, including gear modifications, seasonal closures, and use of marine mammal deterrents. - Recreational fishery: - Acadian redfish are not a common target of anglers but may be encountered when targeting other groundfish species like cod and haddock. - [Regulations](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/recfishing/regs/index.html) are limited to a minimum fish size in federal waters. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/acadian\_redfish.png title: '' alt: | Acadian redfish saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Acadian redfish is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to New York. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1717/), Acadian redfish are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population level. protein: | 15.3 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - We manage a single stock of Acadian redfish in U.S. waters. - [NOAA Fisheries](http://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/multispecies/) and the [New England Fishery Management Council](https://www.nefmc.org/) manage the fishery. - Redfish, along with other groundfish in New England waters, are managed under the [Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan](https://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/northeast-multispecies), which includes: - Permitting requirements for commercial vessels. - Separate management measures for recreational vessels. - Time/Area Closures to protect spawning fish and habitat. - Minimum fish sizes to prevent harvest of juvenile fish. - Annual catch limits, based on best available science. - An optional sector ([catch share](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-and-policies/catch-shares)) program can be used for cod and other groundfish species. The sector program allows fishermen to form harvesting cooperatives and work together to decide when, where, and how they harvest fish. cholesterol: | 52 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 287 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Acadian redfish are slow-growing, long-lived fish. - Redfish can grow up to 18 to 20 inches long and live 50 years or more. - They mature at a late age (5 to 6 years) and have low reproductive rates. - They mate in late autumn and early winter. - Redfish give birth to live young (an unusual feature for fish), and fertilization, incubation, and hatching of eggs all occur within the female’s body. - Eggs are not fertilized until spring and then incubate for 45 to 60 days. Females release their hatched larvae from late spring through July and August. - Females generally produce between 15,000 and 20,000 larvae per spawning cycle. - Newly hatched redfish can swim well at birth and are soon able to forage for plankton (tiny floating plants and animals). - Their survival rate is relatively high compared with that of egg-laying fish. - Young redfish stay in the upper waters feeding on small crustaceans until they are about 2 inches long. - In the fall, the young settle to the ocean bottom. - Older redfish feed on larger invertebrates and small fish. - calories: 103 physical_description: | - Skipjack tuna do not have scales except on the corselet (a band of large, thick scales behind the head) and the faint lateral line running lengthwise down each side of the fish. - Their back is dark purplish blue, and their lower sides and belly are silvery with four to six conspicuous longitudinal dark bands, which may look like continuous lines of dark blotches. human_health: texture: Firm and moist with large flakes. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Skipjack Tuna diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-skipjack-tuna habitat_impacts: | Fishing gear used to harvest skipjack tuna has no impact on habitat because it does not contact the ocean floor. location: | - Skipjack tuna are found in tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of all oceans. In the western Atlantic, skipjack is found from Massachusetts to Brazil, including in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. color: | When raw, good-quality skipjack tuna meat is deep red. Smaller fish are lighter red. Cooked skipjack becomes light gray. species_aliases: | [Tuna](/species-aliases/tuna), [Ocean bonito](/species-aliases/ocean-bonito), [Lesser tuna](/species-aliases/lesser-tuna), [Aku](/species-aliases/aku) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_45.jpg title: | School of skipjack tuna. alt: | A black and white photo of a school of skipjack tuna. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_35.jpg title: | Measuring a skipjack tuna. alt: | Measuring a skipjack tuna. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_30.jpg title: | Whole skipjack tuna. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration alt: | Whole skipjack tuna. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_26.jpg title: | Skipjack tuna fillets. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration alt: | Skipjack tuna fillets. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/06\_12.jpg title: '' alt: | A grilled Atlantic Skipjack Tuna steak served with tomatoes and olives. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Skipjack tuna are a pelagic species. They mostly live in the open ocean, but they may spend part of their life in nearshore waters. - They can be found in surface waters and to depths of 850 feet during the day and generally stay near the surface at night. - Skipjack tuna is a highly migratory species, swimming long distances to feed and reproduce. - They swim in schools, especially around floating objects or hydrographic features such as convergence zones and boundaries between cold and warm water masses. They also school around upwelling areas, where dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water is pushed toward the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. farming_methods: scientific_name: Katsuwonus pelamis production: fat_total: 1.01 g bycatch: | Bycatch is minimal because rod-and-reel gear and handlines are very selective. availability: | Fresh in late summer through early fall, and frozen and canned year-round.  research: | - Skipjack often school around floating objects, including [fish aggregating devices](http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/interactions/gear/fads.htm) (FADs) intentionally placed in the water to attract fish. Foreign purse seiners and baitboats have used FADs extensively in the Atlantic since the early 1990s to catch skipjack, primarily off the coast of West Africa. Researchers have found that the increasing use of FADs has changed the species composition of tuna catches, resulting in a higher capture rate of juvenile [yellowfin](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna) and [bigeye](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-bigeye-tuna) tuna for vessels targeting skipjack. The increased presence of FADs may also have an impact on the biology and ecology of skipjack, bigeye, and yellowfin tuna. Also, sea turtles and marine mammals can become entangled in nets, ropes, and lines that are used in the FADs. - [NOAA, Partners Study: Growing Hypoxic Zones Reduce Habitat for Billfish and Tuna](http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20101222_billfish.html) fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#414551 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Skipjack tuna has the most pronounced taste of all of the tropical tunas. health_benefits: | Skipjack is an excellent source of low-fat protein. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - Skipjack tuna are caught by U.S. vessels in the western North Atlantic, but are only a minor component of total U.S. tuna landings and a very small percentage of the total international landings of western Atlantic skipjack tuna. - In 2015, the United States contributed about 0.4 percent of the total western Atlantic skipjack landings and 0.03 percent of total Atlantic skipjack landings. - In 2015, commercial landings of Atlantic skipjack totaled 1.5 metric tons dressed weight and were valued at $2,269. - Almost all of the U.S. commercial harvest of skipjack tuna comes from the [Pacific](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/pacific-skipjack-tuna). Much of it is exported to foreign markets. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - In the Atlantic, U.S. commercial fishermen mainly use handgear to harvest skipjack tuna. - Handgear includes rod-and-reel and handline gear, which consists of a mainline that is retrieved by hand with no more than two hooks attached. - Handgear is highly selective and does not contact the ocean floor. - Recreational fishery: - U.S. recreational fishermen account for more of the total catch of skipjack tuna in the western Atlantic than commercial fishermen. - Recreational fishermen must have a permit to fish for skipjack tuna. - Recreational fishing for highly migratory species such as skipjack tuna provides significant economic benefits to coastal communities through individual angler expenditures, recreational charters, tournaments, and the shoreside businesses that support those activities. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_skipjack\_tuna\_0.png title: | Atlantic Skipjack Tuna alt: | Illustration of an Atlantic Skipjack Tuna saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.328 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic skipjack tuna is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from New York to Florida. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the 2014 [stock assessment](http://www.iccat.int/Documents/Meetings/Docs/2014_SKJ_ASSESS_ENG.pdf), Atlantic skipjack tuna are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. - The [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](http://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT) assesses the abundance of Atlantic skipjack tuna and evaluates the sustainability of current and proposed harvest practices. They use the scientific information from these assessments to make management recommendations. - It’s difficult to assess the abundance of skipjack tuna due to its unique biological and fishery characteristics. Various assessment methods are used for skipjack tuna to overcome these difficulties, and several fishery indicators are analyzed for evidence of changes in the state of the stock over time. population: | Above target population level. protein: | 22.00 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov) and the [Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species) manage the Atlantic skipjack tuna fishery in the United States. - Managed under the [Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/consolidated-atlantic-highly-migratory-species-management-plan): - Commercial fishermen must have a permit to harvest skipjack. - Gear restrictions. - Federal management for Atlantic tunas applies to state waters as well, except in Maine, Connecticut, and Mississippi. NOAA Fisheries periodically reviews these states’ regulations to make sure they’re consistent with federal regulations. - Highly migratory species, such as skipjack tuna have complicated management that requires international cooperation. - The United States participates in regional fisheries management organizations, such as the [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](http://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT), to enhance tuna management worldwide. NOAA Fisheries sets regulations for the U.S. western Atlantic skipjack tuna fishery based on our science as well as conservation and management measures adopted by ICCAT. - No specific ICCAT management measures currently apply to skipjack tuna. - In 2013, ICCAT adopted a measure to expand reporting requirements for tropical tuna fisheries using [fish aggregating devices](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/fishing-gear-fish-aggregating-devices) (FADs). The measure will improve data collection and allow ICCAT scientists to better characterize the fishing effort associated with FAD fishing. - In 2000, the United States established the [Dolphin-Safe Tuna Tracking and Verification Program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/dolphin-safe) to monitor the domestic production and importation of all frozen and processed tuna products nationwide and to authenticate any associated dolphin-safe claim. cholesterol: | 47 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 37 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Like other tropical tunas, skipjack tuna grow fast, up to over 3 feet and 40 pounds, and have a relatively short life span, around 7 years. - In the eastern Atlantic, skipjack are able to reproduce when they’re 1 year old. They spawn throughout the year in tropical waters and seasonally (spring to early fall) in subtropical areas. - Depending on their size, females can produce between 100,000 and 2 million eggs per year. - Skipjack spawn more than once a season, as often as once per day. - Once fertilized, the eggs hatch in about 1 day (depending on the temperature). - Skipjack tuna are opportunistic feeders, preying on a variety of fish (e.g., herrings), crustaceans, cephalopods, mollusks, and sometimes other skipjack tunas. - Large pelagic fishes such as billfish, sharks, and other large tunas prey on skipjack tuna. - calories: 88 physical_description: | - Scallops are bivalves (having two shells), like clams and oysters. - The shells are held together by the adductor muscle (the part of the scallop Americans typically eat). - Sea scallops have a saucer-shaped shell with scalloped or fluted edges. - The upper shell is usually reddish-pink or brown in color. The lower shell is white or cream. - A small percentage (5-10 percent) of sea scallops are albinos, with white upper and lower shells. - Sea scallop shells are smooth and lack the prominent ribbing that is characteristic of most other scallop shells. It is thought that the sea scallop’s smooth shell is an adaptation to allow it to propel itself faster and farther. human_health: texture: Firm and lean. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Sea Scallop diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-sea-scallop habitat_impacts: | Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitat that are affected by some kinds of trawl and dredge gear. location: | - Atlantic sea scallops are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, from Newfoundland to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. color: | Raw scallops are shiny and creamy white, sometimes with an orange or pinkish tint (a natural variation that does not affect taste or quality). High-quality scallops have an ivory translucence and should keep their shape. species_aliases: | [Scallop](/species-aliases/scallop), [Sea scallop](/species-aliases/sea-scallop), [Giant scallop](/species-aliases/giant-scallop) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_44.jpg title: | You can tell how old a scallop is by counting the number of annuli (rings) on their shells (kind of like counting tree rings on a stump). alt: | A close-up of a scallop under water. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/14.jpg title: '' alt: | A close-up of an Atlantic Sea Scallop. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/11.jpg title: '' alt: | A man holding two different sized scallops. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/09\_1.jpg title: | Sorting the catch from the northern edge, Closed Area II survey in 2008 aboard the research vessel Hugh Sharp. alt: | Men sort their catch of Atlantic Sea Scallops. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/17\_0.jpg title: '' alt: | Grilled Atlantic Sea Scallops served with salad greens. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 22.2 mcg management: habitat: | - Adult scallops live close together in groups called “beds,” on sandy or gravelly parts of the ocean floor. - They are generally found at depths of about 100 to 300 feet on Georges Bank and in the Mid-Atlantic. - Sea scallops can be found in shallower waters in Maine and Canada. farming_methods: scientific_name: Placopecten magellanicus production: fat_total: 0.76 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Scientists from NOAA’s [Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) have surveyed the Atlantic sea scallop population off the northeastern U.S. coast between North Carolina and Massachusetts every year since 1979. They divide the survey area into zones of various depths and habitat, then tow a dredge and camera to randomly sample and document the marine life and other conditions in these zones. After each tow, they sort, count, and measure their catch. Dredge catches provide relative indices of the average density of animals, along with some information about bottom type and habitat. - Scientists have recently started using a new undersea camera called the “[HabCam](http://habcam.whoi.edu/)” in scallop surveys to supplement the dredge data. The HabCam (short for Habitat Mapping Camera System) was developed by scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution working with Cape Cod scallop fishermen. Images from the HabCam supply absolute densities of scallops and other species, are less labor intensive in terms of crew, and provide much more information about the bottom habitat, all in near-real time. Using both the annual dredge surveys and the HabCam provides a more complete picture of the scallop population and its habitat. - Scientists use information from these surveys along with data from other surveys and the commercial fishery to estimate abundance (biomass) and assess the health of the population and the sustainability of the fishery. - Under the [Scallop Research Set-Aside Program](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/research/index.html), 1.25 million pounds (567 metric tons) of the allowed scallop harvest is set aside each year to fund scallop and habitat research and surveys to provide better information for future management decisions. This is not a federally-funded program. Participating scallop vessels fund research through the sale of the scallops they harvest. Past projects have focused on gear research to minimize bycatch of finfish, sea turtles, and small scallops; surveys of rotational access areas and other areas; studies of scallop biology; and development of survey technologies. fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#a06840 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Sea scallops have a sweet, rich taste that can be mild or briny. health_benefits: | Scallops are a good low-fat source of protein and are high in selenium and B vitamins. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, commercial landings of Atlantic sea scallop totaled more than 51.4 million pounds of sea scallop meats and were valued at more than $506 million. - Scallop vessels from Massachusetts, Virginia, and New Jersey are responsible for the majority of the U.S. harvest. - The principal U.S. commercial fisheries for sea scallop are in the Mid-Atlantic (from Virginia to Long Island, New York) and on Georges Bank and neighboring areas, such as the Great South Channel and Nantucket Shoals. There is also a small, primarily inshore fishery for sea scallops in the Gulf of Maine. - The U.S. sea scallop fishery is extremely important to the U.S. economy and is the largest wild scallop fishery in the world. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - U.S. commercial fishermen harvest sea scallops year-round, primarily using turtle deflector–style scallop dredges that catch scallops much like rakes collect leaves. - A small number of fishermen use otter trawls, mostly in the Mid-Atlantic. - Divers and Digby dredges are sometimes used in near-shore areas in the Gulf of Maine. - The bottom fishing gears used to harvest scallops, such as dredges and trawls, can remove some bottom habitat–forming organisms, including tubeworms and sponges. - Managers have implemented a variety of measures to protect habitat from potential impacts of [fishing gear](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/scallop/): - Several areas are closed year-round to harvesting scallops to protect sensitive habitat. - Managers have implemented a rotational access area program, which restricts where and when scallop vessels can fish, benefitting both habitat and scallop populations. - Fishermen use 4-inch rings in their scallop dredges that increase the dredges’ efficiency, catching larger scallops and allowing smaller scallops and other small marine life to return to the sea floor by passing through the dredge rings. The 4-inch rings reduce the amount of time dredges contact the bottom. - Sea turtles, finfish (such as yellowtail flounder, skates, and monkfish), and undersized scallops can be incidentally caught in the scallop fishery. - Managers seasonally prohibit fishing in areas where finfish species congregate, reducing catch of these untargeted species. - Scallop fishermen receive annual allocations of windowpane and yellowtail flounder that they can catch. If the catches are exceeded, managers will implement measures to minimize catch of these species in a future fishing year (e.g., gear restrictions and seasonal closures). - Scallop vessels in the Mid-Atlantic must use a [turtle deflector dredge](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/nero/nr/nrdoc/12/12ScalFW23PHL.pdf) and chain mat when and where sea turtles occur on scallop grounds. The turtle deflector dredge excludes sea turtles from being caught in the dredge and prevents serious injuries to the turtles. - Scallop dredges using “twine-tops” must adhere to gear modifications designed to allow fish to escape. - Research and experimentation with different techniques and gears, as well as education efforts, have helped reduce bycatch. - Managers and the fishing industry continue to collaborate to redesign scallop dredges to reduce flounder bycatch and to minimize injuries to and capture of sea turtles. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_sea\_scallop.png title: | Atlantic Sea Scallop alt: | Illustration of an Atlantic Sea Scallop saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.079 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic sea scallop is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 2.36 g serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2018 stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1808/), Atlantic sea scallops are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population level. protein: | 16.7 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/scallop/) and the [New England](https://www.nefmc.org/) Fishery Management Council manage the Atlantic sea scallop fishery. - Managed under the [Atlantic Sea Scallop Fishery Management Plan](https://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/scallops): - Managers determine a total allowable catch for the scallop fishery based on estimates of the scallop population. They allocate this catch amount to different groups of the fishery, depending on their permit type and historical catch, through days-at-sea and number of trips to special access areas. - Other management measures include: - Limits on crew size. - Areas closed to scallop dredging to allow young scallops to grow large and reproduce, and to reduce bycatch of non-targeted species. - Vessels harvesting scallops must use [vessel monitoring systems](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement/vessel-monitoring) (a satellite communications system used to monitor fishing activities). - Individual Fishing Quotas (IFQs), a type of [catch share](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-and-policies/catch-shares) program, for Limited Access General Category permit holders. - There is a sea scallop fishery in the Gulf of Maine that operates in both federal and state waters. This fishery primarily occurs in Maine state waters and is managed by the state through gear and seasonal restrictions and rotational closures. The federal component of the fishery is managed through daily catch limits and gear restrictions. cholesterol: | 33 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 161 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Sea scallops can live up to 20 years. They grow quickly for the first few years of their life. - The largest scallop ever reported was about 9 inches in shell height, but they typically don’t grow larger than 6 inches. - Sea scallops can reproduce by age 2, but don’t produce many eggs or sperm until they are about 4 years old. - They are very fertile—a female sea scallop can produce hundreds of millions of eggs per year. For this reason, scallops may respond more rapidly to management actions than species that reproduce slowly and in small numbers. - Sea scallops usually spawn in late summer or early fall. They also may spawn in the spring, especially in the Mid-Atlantic Bight. - After hatching, scallop larvae remain in the water column for 4 to 6 weeks before settling on the ocean floor. - Sea scallops feed by filtering phytoplankton or other small organisms out of the water column, which can actually help to improve water quality by removing suspended materials. - Many kinds of pelagic fish and invertebrates eat scallop larvae. - Cod, wolffish, eel pout, flounder, crabs, lobster, sea turtles, and sea stars feed on juvenile and adult scallops. - Using its adductor muscle to snap its top and bottom shells open and shut, a sea scallop can propel itself through the water. This helps them escape predators, such as sea stars, that other bivalves like mussels, clams, and oysters can’t avoid. - calories: 142 physical_description: | - Atlantic salmon have a spindle-like body shape – rounded, broad in the middle, and tapered at each end. The shape is somewhat flattened toward the sides, which is typical of salmon species. - The head is relatively small, about one-fifth of the body length. The underside paired fins are prominent, especially on juveniles. - Spawning adults darken to a bronze color after entering freshwater and darken further after they spawn. When spawning has been completed, they are often referred to as kelts or black salmon.  Their silver color returns after they re-enter the sea. human_health: texture: environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Salmon diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-salmon habitat_impacts: | Not applicable – there is no commercial or recreational fishery for Atlantic salmon in the United States. location: | - Atlantic salmon are the only salmon native to the Atlantic Ocean. - There are three groups of wild Atlantic salmon: North American, European, and Baltic. The North American group, including the Canadian and U.S. populations, was historically found from northern Quebec southeast to Newfoundland and southwest to Long Island Sound. - In the United States, Atlantic salmon were once native to almost every river north of the Hudson River. Due to the effects of industrial and agricultural development (including habitat destruction, dams, and historic overfishing), most populations native to New England were eradicated. Now, the only native populations of Atlantic salmon in the United States are found in Maine. ![A map showing the geographic range of Altantic Salmon.](https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic_salmon_migration_route_large.jpg) color: species_aliases: | [Sea run salmon](/species-aliases/sea-run-salmon), [Kelts](/species-aliases/kelts), [Black salmon](/species-aliases/black-salmon) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_43.jpg title: | Atlantic salmon. alt: | A man displays his catch of Atlantic salmon. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_34.jpg title: | Atlantic salmon life cycle. alt: | A schematic of the Atlantic salmon life cycle. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_36.jpg title: | Wild Atlantic salmon spawning on a Connecticut River tributary. Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. alt: | Wild Atlantic salmon spawning on a Connecticut River tributary. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_29.jpg title: | Atlantic salmon parr emerging from streambed. Photo credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. alt: | Atlantic salmon parr emerging from streambed. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Atlantic salmon are anadromous – they leave the ocean to return to freshwater streams and rivers to breed. - After hatching, young Atlantic salmon (called parr) remain in rivers or streams for the first 1 to 2 years of life, preferring shallow, cool, fast-flowing water with shade. - After this period, the salmon migrate to open ocean waters where they spend about 2 to 3 years feeding, then return to their natal streams or rivers to spawn during the fall. farming_methods: scientific_name: Salmo salar production: fat_total: 6.34 g bycatch: | Not applicable – there is no commercial fishery for Atlantic salmon in the United States. availability: | Wild-caught is not available. [Farm-raised](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-salmon-farmed) is available year-round. research: | - For salmon in Maine, most current research focuses on two priorities – the impact of dams on populations and survival of salmon in the ocean. See [NOAA Fisheries Northeast Salmon Team](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/salmon/). - Atlantic salmon may be facing new challenges in the Gulf of Maine due to changing environmental conditions. Increasing numbers of hatchery-raised Atlantic salmon smolts are entering the ocean via the Gulf of Maine, but fewer are returning to spawn, raising questions as to what is happening to these fish at sea. A [2011 study](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/press_release/2011/SciSpot/SS1107/) co-authored by a NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center researcher suggests that changing spring wind patterns, warming sea surface temperatures, and new predators along altered migration routes are affecting the survival of Atlantic salmon. - [Learning about Atlantic Salmon in Greenland via Satellite Tags](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/learning-about-atlantic-salmon-greenland-satellite-tags) fishing_rate: | Commercial and recreational fishing for Atlantic salmon is prohibited. quote_background_color: | \#807e92 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: health_benefits: harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - There is no commercial catch of wild Atlantic salmon in the United States. - Atlantic salmon were a highly prized game and food fish. - They were caught by Native Americans before the first settlers arrived, and commercial fisheries for Atlantic salmon started in Maine during the 1600s. - Around the time of the American Revolution, weirs (an enclosure of stakes set in a stream as a trap for fish) became the gear of choice in U.S. Atlantic salmon commercial fisheries and were modified as more effective materials and designs became available. - Catches in Maine exceeded 90 metric tons in the late 1800s and 45 metric tons in some years during the early 1900s. - Recreational fishery: - Recreational fishermen have reportedly been angling for Atlantic salmon since 1832, when the first Atlantic salmon caught on rod-and-reel gear was captured in the Dennys River in Maine. - Recreational fisheries are closed in the United States, with the exception of some landlocked fisheries for Atlantic salmon in New Hampshire, where fish retired from hatchery broodstock are released for angling. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_salmon.png title: | Atlantic Salmon alt: | Illustration of an Atlantic Salmon. saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.981 g quote: | Commercial and recreational fishing for Atlantic salmon in the United States is prohibited. Atlantic salmon found in the market is farm-raised. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | Commercial and recreational fishing for Atlantic salmon in the United States is prohibited. Atlantic salmon found in the market is farm-raised. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - The U.S. Atlantic Salmon Assessment Committee, a team of state and federal biologists, collects data on Atlantic salmon throughout New England and assesses the species’ population status. Their [2019 annual report](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/USASAC/Reports/USASAC2019-Report-31-2018-Activities.pdf) indicates that returns remain at historically low levels. - Scientists determine the population status by counting the number of adults that return to spawn, either directly at traps and weirs or indirectly using nest surveys and modeling. - Atlantic salmon stocks began to decline in the mid-1800s due to a number of factors including habitat destruction and historic overfishing. population: | Significantly below target population levels. Rebuilding plan is in place. protein: | 19.84 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon-protected), the [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service](https://ecos.fws.gov/ecp0/profile/speciesProfile?sId=2097), the [New England Fishery Management Council](https://www.nefmc.org/), and the [State of Maine](http://www.maine.gov/portal/index.html) manage Atlantic salmon. - Managed under the [Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Salmon](https://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/atlantic-salmon): - Prohibits possession of wild Atlantic salmon and any directed or incidental Atlantic salmon catch in federal waters. - All Atlantic salmon caught incidentally in other fisheries must be released in a manner that ensures maximum probability of survival. This protects Atlantic salmon in U.S. marine waters and complements management in state-managed riverine and coastal waters. - In 2000, NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment of Atlantic salmon as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The two agencies are jointly responsible for the recovery of this endangered population of Atlantic salmon. - In December 2005, the agencies, in coordination with the State of Maine, finalized the Recovery Plan for the Gulf of Maine distinct population segment. This plan identifies recovery actions needed to halt the decline of the species and lays out a process to minimize threats. - In June 2009, they extended Endangered Species Act protection to more Atlantic salmon, adding fish in the Penobscot, Kennebec, and Androscoggin rivers and their tributaries to the endangered Gulf of Maine distinct population segment. Protection also applies wherever these fish are found, including these rivers’ estuaries and marine environment. - A new recovery plan is being developed to reflect the expanded range of endangered salmon and the designation of their critical habitat (the area needed to support the fish population’s survival and recovery). - In 2015, NOAA Fisheries announced a new program to focus and redouble our efforts to protect eight species that are currently among the most at risk of extinction in the near future. This 5-year action plan focuses on priority actions for Atlantic salmon. [Species in the Spotlight](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon-protected/spotlight) - International management: - Because Atlantic salmon migrate all along the North American coast, the United States joined with other North Atlantic nations in 1984 to form the [North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization](http://www.nasco.int/) (NASCO) to cooperatively manage Atlantic salmon stocks through conservation, restoration, and enhancement programs. - The United States’ participation in NASCO supports the long-term commitment by the states and federal government to rehabilitate and restore U.S. Atlantic salmon stocks. - The [International Council for the Exploration of the Sea](http://www.ices.dk/Pages/default.aspx) (ICES) is the official research arm of NASCO. ICES provides scientific advice to NASCO members to inform science-based management recommendations for the conservation of North Atlantic salmon stocks. - Substantial efforts are ongoing to restore wild Atlantic salmon and their habitat. These include improving fish passage by removing or modifying dams so salmon can reach freshwater spawning and rearing areas critical to their survival, understanding and improving historically low salmon survival in the ocean, and supplementing wild populations with hatchery-raised Atlantic salmon. - Atlantic salmon have been raised in hatcheries since 1864 to enhance wild populations. Today, these hatcheries help to prevent further decline of Atlantic salmon and subsequently prevent their extinction. - In the late 1970s, commercial aquaculture ventures started rearing Atlantic salmon in Maine. See [Atlantic Salmon – Farmed](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-salmon-farmed) for more information. cholesterol: | 55 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 44 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Atlantic salmon are anadromous – they leave the ocean to return to freshwater streams and rivers to breed. - Females lay an average of 7,500 eggs in gravel nests, called redds. - Eggs incubate slowly due to cold winter water temperatures. About 9 to 20 percent of the eggs survive to the fry stage. - Fry remain buried in the gravel for about 6 weeks and emerge in mid-May. - They quickly disperse from the redds and develop camouflaging stripes along their sides, entering the parr stage. - Parr eventually undergo a physiological transformation called smoltification that prepares them for life in a marine habitat. During smoltification, fish imprint on the chemical nature of the stream or river to enable them to find their way back to where they were born. After smoltfication is complete in the spring, smolts migrate to the ocean to grow, feed, and mature. - Atlantic salmon growth rates are variable and depend on several factors including season, habitat quality, age, sex, and population density. - They grow much faster in saltwater than in freshwater. After 2 years at sea, adult salmon can grow to an average length of 28 to 30 inches and weight of 8 to 12 pounds. - Unlike the Pacific salmon species, Atlantic salmon do not die after spawning, and adults can repeat the breeding cycle. They live for 4 to 6 years. - Juvenile Atlantic salmon mostly prey on invertebrates and terrestrial insects while in freshwater and on amphipods (small, shrimp-like crustaceans), krill, and fishes while at sea. - Larger adult Atlantic salmon mainly prey on fish such as Atlantic herring, alewife, rainbow smelt, capelin, mummichogs, sand lances, flatfish, and small Atlantic mackerel. - Birds, marine mammals, and fish prey on Atlantic salmon. - calories: 92 physical_description: | - Atlantic pollock are brownish-green on the back and slightly pale on the belly. - They have a small chin barbel, like the whiskers on a catfish. - They are a member of the cod family but can be distinguished by their greenish hue and darker flesh. human_health: texture: Firm. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Pollock diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-pollock habitat_impacts: | Area closures and gear restrictions protect habitat that are affected by some kinds of trawl gear. location: | - Atlantic pollock are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and are most common on the western Scotian Shelf and in the Gulf of Maine. color: | White. species_aliases: | [Saithe](/species-aliases/saithe), [Coalfish](/species-aliases/coalfish), [Coley](/species-aliases/coley), [Green cod](/species-aliases/green-cod), [Boston bluefish](/species-aliases/boston-bluefish) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_42.jpg title: | Atlantic pollock. alt: | Atlantic pollock swimming. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_33.jpg title: | Atlantic pollock catch. alt: | A fisherman displays his catch of Atlantic Pollock. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/04\_28.jpg title: | Whole Atlantic pollock. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. alt: | A photo of a whole Atlantic pollock. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/05\_25.jpg title: | Atlantic pollock fillets. Photo credit: U.S. Food and Drug Administration. alt: | A photo of Atlantic pollock fillets. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/06\_11.jpg title: '' alt: | A photo of a plate of Atlantic Pollock with green beans. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Pollock eggs and larvae are found in the water column. - Juveniles are found inshore and move offshore as they grow older. When in inshore waters, juvenile pollock school in the open water at low tide, then scatter at high tide and hide in intertidal seaweed beds. - Adults live offshore near the ocean floor over a wide variety of ocean bottom habitats including sand, mud, rocks, and vegetation. - Atlantic pollock swim in schools and are believed to travel extensively between the Scotian Shelf and Georges Bank and, to a lesser extent, between the Scotian Shelf and the Gulf of Maine. farming_methods: scientific_name: Pollachius virens production: fat_total: 0.98 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. Peak landings are from November through January. research: | - Scientists at NOAA’s [Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) conduct bottom trawl surveys every year during the fall and spring in inshore and offshore areas off the northeast coast to monitor the abundance of pollock and other species. They use these data, along with data from surveys conducted by the state fisheries management agencies and fishery statistics, to determine the status of the pollock stocks. - [2017 Northeast Groundfish Operational Assessments website](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/groundfish/operational-assessments-2017/) fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#4b5657 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Sweet and delicate. health_benefits: | Atlantic pollock is very low in saturated fat and is a very good source of protein, vitamin B12, phosphorus, and selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - The 2016 commercial landings of Atlantic pollock totaled more than 5.7 million pounds and were valued at $6.5 million. - Commercial fishermen harvested 17% of their annual catch limit in 2016. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Pollock are commonly harvested using trawl nets, gillnets, bottom longlines, and rod and reel. - Gillnets, longlines, and rod and reel used to harvest pollock have little to no impact on habitat. - Areas closures and gear restrictions reduce habitat impacts from trawl nets. - Fishermen follow management measures to designed to reduce interactions with marine mammals, including gear modifications, seasonal closures, and use of marine mammal deterrents. - Recreational fishery: - Pollock is growing in popularity with anglers that have traditionally targeted other groundfish like cod and haddock. Anglers target pollock from boats and shore using both lures and bait. Successful anglers find that the fish puts up a spirited fight. Fishing occurs year-round. - [Regulations](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/recfishing/regs/index.html) are limited to a minimum fish size in federal waters. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_pollack.png title: | Atlantic Pollock alt: | Illustration of an Atlantic Pollock saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.135 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic pollock is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to Virginia. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1717/), Atlantic pollock are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population level. protein: | 19.44 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/multispecies/) and the [New England Fishery Management Council](https://www.nefmc.org/) manage the fishery. - Pollock, along with other groundfish in New England waters, are managed under the  [Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan](https://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/northeast-multispecies), which includes: - Permitting requirements for commercial vessels. - Separate management measures for recreational vessels. - Time/Area Closures to protect spawning fish and habitat. - Minimum fish sizes to prevent harvest of juvenile fish. - Annual catch limits, based on best available science. - An optional sector ([catch share](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws-and-policies/catch-shares)) program can be used for cod and other groundfish species. The sector program allows fishermen to form harvesting cooperatives and work together to decide when, where, and how they harvest fish. cholesterol: | 71 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 86 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Atlantic pollock grow fast at first until they sexually mature between the ages of 3 and 6. - They grow to more than 3 ½ feet long and 35 pounds and can live a long time, up to 23 years. - Atlantic pollock spawn from November through February over hard, stony, or rocky ocean bottoms in areas throughout the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank. - They spawn multiple times per season. - Pollock eggs rise into the water column after they are released and fertilized. - Smaller pollock in inshore waters feed on small crustaceans and small fish. Larger pollock mainly prey on fish. - A variety of fish eat juvenile pollock. Spiny dogfish, monkfish, and other pollock prey on adults. - calories: 109 physical_description: | - Yellowfin tuna are torpedo-shaped. - They are metallic dark blue on the back and upper sides, and change from yellow to silver on the belly. - True to their name, their dorsal and anal fins and finlets are bright yellow. - Yellowfin tuna can be distinguished from other tunas by their long, bright yellow dorsal fin and a yellow strip down the side. They are also more slender than bluefin tuna. human_health: texture: The meat is firm and moist with large flakes. environmental_considerations: species_name: Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest yellowfin tuna have almost no impact on habitat because they’re used in the water column and don’t come into contact with the ocean floor. location: | - Yellowfin tuna are found near the surface of tropical and subtropical oceans around the world. color: | Meat is bright red when raw and turns brown to grayish-tan when cooked. species_aliases: | [Tuna](/species-aliases/tuna), [Ahi](/species-aliases/ahi) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna\_01.jpg title: '' alt: | Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna\_02.jpg title: | Measuring a yellowfin tuna. alt: | Measuring a yellowfin tuna image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna\_03.jpg title: | A recreational fisherman fillets his catch of yellowfin tuna. alt: | A recreational fisherman fillets his catch of yellowfin tuna image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna\_04.jpg title: | Yellowfin tuna caught off Nags Head, North Carolina. alt: | Yellowfin tuna caught off Nags Head, North Carolina image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic-yellowfin-tuna\_05.jpg title: | A school of yellowfin tuna. alt: | A school of yellowfin tuna image harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Yellowfin tuna are highly migratory and can swim across an entire ocean. - Juvenile yellowfin tuna travel in schools with [skipjack](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-skipjack-tuna) and juvenile [bigeye](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/atlantic-bigeye-tuna) tuna.   farming_methods: scientific_name: Thunnus albacares production: fat_total: 0.49 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - NOAA Fisheries scientists continue to research ways to improve the methods used to assess the yellowfin population. - They will work with ICCAT in its large-scale tagging project to learn more about the lifecycle and migration patterns of Atlantic yellowfin and other Atlantic tropical tunas. - Scientists from Texas A&M University continue to analyze yellowfin tuna samples to help determine nursery areas within the Gulf of Mexico. fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#dfbd29 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Yellowfin tuna has a mild, meaty flavor. It’s more flavorful than albacore, but leaner than [bluefin tuna](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/western-atlantic-bluefin-tuna). health_benefits: | Yellowfin tuna is low in saturated fat and sodium and is a very good source of protein, thiamin, selenium, vitamin B6, and omega-3s. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - U.S. landings of Atlantic yellowfin tuna represent a small percentage of the total international landings of Atlantic yellowfin tuna. In 2015, the United States contributed about 2 percent of the total Atlantic yellowfin tuna landings. - In 2015, commercial landings of Atlantic yellowfin tuna totaled 891 metric tons dressed weight and were valued at $8.5 million. - Yellowfin tuna is the principal species of tropical tuna landed by U.S. fisheries in the western North Atlantic. - The majority of U.S. commercial landings come from the longline fleet operating in the northwest Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - U.S. commercial fishermen primarily use longline, rod-and-reel, and handline gear to harvest Atlantic yellowfin tuna. - Pelagic longline gear and handgear (handline and rod-and-reel) used to catch yellowfin tuna have no impact on habitat because they’re used in the water column and don’t come into contact with the ocean floor. - Handgear is very selective so bycatch is minimal, but pelagic longlines can incidentally catch other fish and protected species such as marine mammals and sea turtles. - NOAA Fisheries has taken the following additional measures to prevent bycatch and sustainably manage this fishery. Fishermen are: - Required to use large circle hooks and certain types of bait that limit gear interactions with sea turtles. Circle hooks are specifically designed to minimize the damage caused by hooking, giving animals that are captured and released a better chance at survival. - Trained to use special techniques to safely dehook and release any incidentally caught turtles. - Required to stop fishing and move 1 nautical mile if they encounter a protected species. - Required to protect pilot whales and Risso's dolphins when fishing in the Mid-Atlantic Bight by limiting the length of their lines to 20 nautical miles and posting [marine mammal handling/release guidelines](http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/interactions/handling_release.pdf) on their vessels. In addition, if fishing in the Cape Hatteras Special Research Area, pelagic longliners must contact NOAA Fisheries at least 48 hours prior to a trip and carry observers if requested. - Required to use weak hooks in the Gulf of Mexico to reduce incidental catch of bluefin tuna and prohibited from using live bait to reduce bycatch of billfish. - Restricted from areas of the Gulf of Mexico to reduce bycatch of all species. - Required to carry [vessel monitoring systems](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/enforcement/vessel-monitoring) onboard their boats to ensure compliance with these closures. - Required to carry at-sea fisheries observers upon request. NOAA Fisheries reviews observer data to monitor protected species interactions and takes appropriate action as necessary. - Recreational fishery: - A high proportion of landings are rod-and-reel catches by recreational anglers. - In 2015, recreational fishermen caught 936 metric tons of yellowfin tuna. - Recreational fishermen enjoy catching yellowfin tuna because they’re large (up to 400 pounds) and they fight hard. - Recreational fishermen must have a permit to catch yellowfin tuna. - They have daily bag limits. However, catch, tag, and release is allowed. - Recreational fishing for highly migratory species such as yellowfin tuna provides significant economic benefits to coastal communities through individual angler expenditures, recreational charters, tournaments, and the shoreside businesses that support those activities. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/atlantic\_yellowfin\_tuna\_0.png title: '' alt: | Atlantic Yellowfin Tuna illustration saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.172 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught Atlantic yellowfin tuna is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Massachusetts to Texas. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the 2016 [stock assessment](http://www.iccat.int/en/assess.htm), Atlantic yellowfin tuna are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. - The [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](http://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT) assesses the abundance of Atlantic yellowfin tuna and evaluates the sustainability of current and proposed harvest practices. They use the scientific information from these assessments to make management recommendations. - Scientists estimate the stock is approximately 5 percent below the target level. The stock is considered overfished based on the ICCAT definition because ICCAT does not set different levels for the target population level and the overfished level. This means that stocks that are not at the target population level are also regarded as overfished by ICCAT. NOAA Fisheries sets the overfished level at 50 percent of the population level, so according to their definition, the stock is not overfished. population: | Near target population level and fishing rate promotes population growth. protein: | 24.4 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov) and the [Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/atlantic-highly-migratory-species) manage the Atlantic yellowfin tuna fishery in the United States. - Managed under the [2006 Consolidated Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/management-plan/consolidated-atlantic-highly-migratory-species-management-plan) and amendments: - Commercial fishermen must have a permit to harvest yellowfin tuna. - Gear restrictions. - Time/area closures. - Minimum size limit. - Federal management for Atlantic tunas applies to state waters as well, except in Maine, Connecticut, and Mississippi. NOAA Fisheries periodically reviews these states’ regulations to make sure they’re consistent with federal regulations. - Highly migratory species, such as yellowfin tuna, have complicated management that requires international cooperation. - The United States participates in regional fisheries management organizations, such as the [International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas](http://www.iccat.int/en/) (ICCAT), to enhance tuna management worldwide. NOAA Fisheries sets regulations for the U.S. western Atlantic yellowfin tuna fishery based on our science as well as conservation and management measures adopted by ICCAT. - In 2011, ICCAT adopted new yellowfin tuna management standards that reduced the catch of small yellowfin off West Africa and brought other fishing nations closer to U.S. standards. - In 2013, ICCAT adopted a measure to expand reporting requirements for tropical tuna fisheries using [fish aggregating devices](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/fishing-gear-fish-aggregating-devices) (FADs). The measure will improve data collection and allow ICCAT scientists to better characterize the fishing effort associated with FAD fishing. - In 2000, the United States established the [Dolphin-Safe Tuna Tracking and Verification Program](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-mammal-protection/dolphin-safe) to monitor the domestic production and importation of all frozen and processed tuna products nationwide and to authenticate any associated dolphin-safe claim. cholesterol: | 39 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 45 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Yellowfin tuna grow fairly fast, up to 400 pounds, and have a somewhat short life span of about 7 years. - Most yellowfin tuna are able to reproduce when they reach age 2 or 3. - In the western Atlantic, they spawn from May to August in the Gulf of Mexico and from July to November in the southeastern Caribbean. In the eastern Atlantic, they spawn from October to March in the Gulf of Guinea and from April to June off Senegal. - Females spawn about once every 3 days during the spawning season. They produce an average of 1 million to 4 million eggs each time they spawn. - Yellowfin tuna feed near the top of the food chain on fish, squid, and crustaceans. - They are prey for top predators such as sharks and large fish. - calories: 92 physical_description: | - Longfin squid have an internal shell called a “pen.” - Their fins are long, at least half the length of the mantle (large part of the squid in front of the head). - The head has large eyes that are covered by a cornea. - They are pink or orange and mottled with brown or purple. - They are likely color blind, but are able to use special pigment cells in their skin (called chromatophores) to change their color and patterns to escape predators or disguise themselves from prey.   human_health: texture: Firm. environmental_considerations: species_name: Longfin Inshore Squid diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/longfin-squid habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest longfin squid have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Longfin squid are found from Newfoundland to the Gulf of Venezuela. - In the northwest Atlantic Ocean, longfin squid are most abundant between Georges Bank and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. color: | Raw squid is ivory colored with a speckled membrane. Cooked squid is opaque white. species_aliases: | [Longfin inshore squid](/species-aliases/longfin-inshore-squid), [Loligo](/species-aliases/loligo), [Winter squid](/species-aliases/winter-squid), [Boston squid](/species-aliases/boston-squid) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/longfin-squid\_01.jpg title: '' alt: | Picture of fried squid on a plate - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/longfin-squid\_02.jpg title: | Longfin squid. alt: | Picture of Longfin Squid on a counter top. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/longfin-squid\_03.jpg title: | Longfin squid. Photo credit: National Undersea Research Center – University of Connecticut. alt: | Picture of a Longfin Squid in the ocean. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/longfin-squid\_05.jpg title: | Offloading squid from the fishing vessel Atlantic Traveler at Co-op Seafood Market dock in New Jersey. alt: | Picture of offloading squid from the fishing vessel Atlantic Traveler at Co-op Seafood Market dock in New Jersey image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/8\_3.jpg title: | Longfin squid research survey. alt: | Picture of Longfin Squid being measured for length during a research survey. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 44.8 mcg management: habitat: | - Adults live over mud or sand/mud substrates of the continental shelf and upper continental slope in waters as deep as 1,300 feet. - Adults and juveniles migrate vertically in the water column, remaining near the seabed during the day and moving toward the surface at night.  - North of Cape Hatteras, squid migrate seasonally—offshore during late autumn to spend the winter in warmer waters along the shelf edge and slope, and back inshore during the spring where they remain until late autumn. - Squid egg masses are attached to rocks and small boulders or aquatic vegetation and on sandy bottoms. - Paralarvae are found in surface waters. Juveniles also live in the upper water column in water 165 to 1,650 feet deep. farming_methods: scientific_name: Doryteuthis (Amerigo) pealeii production: fat_total: 1.38 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - [NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) bottom trawl surveys assess the abundance of longfin squid and other species. - A [research set-aside program](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/coopresearch/rsa_program.html) encourages cooperative research between commercial fishing vessels and researchers. - [Squid Get Violent After Touching Eggs, Study Says](https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/02/110211-squid-pheromones-fighting-mating-woods-hole-animals-science/) fishing_rate: | Harvest quotas are trimester-based to ensure that it is fished at the recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#6c1e16 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild and slightly sweet. health_benefits: | Squid are an excellent source of selenium, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. harvest: | - In 2017, commercial landings totaled approximately 18 million pounds, and were valued at more than $25 million. - Fisheries for longfin squid reflect the species’ seasonal migrations. - The majority of landings come from Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. - Harvested for bait since the late 1800s, longfin squid have been harvested since the mid-1960’s for their mild, sweet meat. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - The majority of longfin squid is harvested year-round using small-mesh bottom trawls. There are now only a few fishermen that use pound nets and fish traps during the spring and early summer when squid migrate inshore. - Sandy or muddy habitat, where squid are fished, is less sensitive to the impacts of trawling. - Small-mesh bottom trawls can incidentally catch marine mammals and large pelagic species, including pilot whales, common dolphin, swordfish, and a variety of shark, ray, and tuna species. Finfish such as butterfish, hakes, Illex squid, fluke, herring, spiny dogfish, and Atlantic mackerel are also incidentally caught in this fishery. - Measures to prevent or minimize bycatch include: - Bycatch cap for [butterfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/butterfish) caught in the longfin fishery. - Minimum mesh size requirements for bottom trawl nets, but bycatch escapement is very limited because the codend mesh sizes are very small (1 7/8 in. during Trimester 2 and 2 1/8 in. during Trimesters 1 and 3) and are covered by an additional layer of mesh called a strengthener. - Outreach to fishermen to educate them on actions to take in the event of a marine mammal interaction. - Real-time communication to vessels regarding hotspots of marine mammal interactions. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/longfin\_squid.png title: '' alt: | Longfin Squid illustration saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.358 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught longfin squid is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 3.08 g serving_weight: | 100 g ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Southern Massachusetts to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - The species has a lifespan of less than one year. According to the [2017 stock assessment](http://www.mafmc.org/s/Doryteuthis_update_April_2017.pdf), longfin squid are not overfished. There is currently not enough information to determine whether the stock is subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 15.58 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/sustainable/species/msb/index.html) and the [Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council](http://www.mafmc.org/) manage the longfin squid fishery. - Managed under the [Atlantic Mackerel, Squid, and Butterfish Fishery Management Plan](http://www.mafmc.org/fisheries/fmp/msb): - Fishermen with a limited access permit can fish for unlimited amounts of longfin squid while the fishery is open. All other fishermen must obtain an incidental catch permit, and have possession limits. - An annual coastwide catch quota is divided into trimester allocations. Managers monitor annual quotas closely, as there can be large fluctuations in abundance from year to year. - Managers set a cap on the amount of [butterfish](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/butterfish) that can be incidentally caught in the longfin squid fishery to help prevent overfishing on the butterfish stock. cholesterol: | 233 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 44 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Longfin squid grow fast, up to 1.6 feet mantle length (large part of the squid in front of the head), but usually less than 1 foot. - They have a short life span, reproducing right before they die at around six to eight months old. - Their growth and development is highly sensitive to environmental conditions. Squid hatched in the summer grow faster than those hatched in the winter.  - They spawn year-round, with peak production in winter and summer. The male cements bundles of spermatophores into the mantle cavity of the female and/or deposits them in a pouch located near her mouth. The spermatophores penetrate the ova, or sperm is stored for later use.  - The female lays fertilized egg capsules that contain about 150 to 200 eggs each in clusters attached to the ocean bottom, with a typical female laying a total of 3,000 to 6,000 eggs. Eggs hatch between 11 and 26 days later, depending on water temperature. - Small immature longfin squid feed on plankton, and larger squid feed on crustaceans and small fish. - They are aggressive hunters, can consume fish larger than themselves, and do eat their own species. - They are a key prey species for a variety of marine mammals, diving birds, and finfish species.  - calories: 105 physical_description: | - Scup are deep-bodied (deeper from back to belly than they are wide). - They are dusky brown with bright silvery reflections below and spiny fins. - Adult fins are mottled with dark brown, and young scup fins may be faintly barred. - Scup’s front teeth are very narrow, almost conical, and they have two rows of molars in the upper jaw. - Longspine porgy look similar to scup, but can be easily identified by the elongated spines on their backs. human_health: texture: Scup have lean and flaky flesh, but also contain many bones, which makes them difficult to fillet. As a result, scup are generally sold and cooked whole, after they’ve been scaled and dressed. environmental_considerations: species_name: Scup diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/scup habitat_impacts: | Otter trawls can impact bottom habitat. Scup are mainly harvested over sand and mud habitats, which appear to be more resilient to the effects of trawling than more structured habitats, such as coral. location: | - Scup are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean, primarily between Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. color: | White. species_aliases: | [Porgy](/species-aliases/porgy), [Maiden](/species-aliases/maiden), [Fair maid](/species-aliases/fair-maid), [Ironsides](/species-aliases/ironsides), [Northern porgy](/species-aliases/northern-porgy) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/scup\_01.jpg title: | Flash fried whole scup with garnish. alt: | Flash fried whole scup with garnish image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/scup\_02.jpg title: | Measuring scup. alt: | Measuring scup image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/scup\_03.jpg title: | Preparing and scaling whole scup to be cooked. alt: | Preparing and scaling whole scup to be cooked image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/scup\_04.jpg title: | Scup and black sea bass hovering around a reef ledge. alt: | Scup and black sea bass hovering around a reef ledge image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/scup\_05.jpg title: | Prepared whole scup, ready for the pan. alt: | Prepared whole scup, ready for the pan image harvest_type: Wild selenium: 36.5 mcg management: habitat: | - Scup eggs and larvae are found in the water column in coastal waters during warmer months. - As larvae mature, they settle to the seafloor and develop into juveniles. - Juveniles live in a variety of habitats including rocky ledges, artificial reefs, mussel beds, sand, silty sand, shell, mud bottoms, and eelgrass. - During the summer and early fall, juveniles and adults are common in large estuaries, open sandy bottoms, and structured habitats such as mussel beds, reefs, or rock rubble. - Scup migrate north and inshore to spawn in the spring, then migrate south and offshore in autumn as the water cools, arriving by December in offshore areas where they spend the winter. farming_methods: scientific_name: Stenotomus chrysops production: fat_total: 2.73 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round. research: | - Scientists from NOAA’s [Northeast Fisheries Science Center](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/) conduct annual spring and fall bottom trawl surveys in waters from just south of Cape Hatteras to Canadian waters. These survey results, along with data from surveys run by states and universities and catch data from the commercial and recreational fisheries, help scientists estimate the abundance of scup and other species in the Mid-Atlantic and New England. - The Northeast Fisheries Science Center’s [Fishery Observer Program](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/fsb/program.html) has collected information on landings and discards in the commercial scup fishery for more than 20 years. - [NOAA Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center Scup Tagging Cooperative Research Program](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/read/popdy/TagReporting/recapture_form.pl?species=scup) fishing_rate: | At recommended level. quote_background_color: | \#81a2a5 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild. health_benefits: | Scup is a low-sodium, low-fat source of protein. It is high in niacin, phosphorus, vitamins B6 and B12, and selenium. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2016, commercial landings of scup totaled approximately 15.76 million pounds and were valued at $10.7 million. - The top five states for commercial scup landings are Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. - The commercial fishery accounts for about 80 percent of the total catch of scup. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - About 75 percent of commercial scup landings are caught with otter trawls. - Otter trawls can impact bottom habitat. Scup are mainly harvested over sand and mud habitats, which appear to be more resilient to the effects of trawling than more structured habitats, such as gravel or coral. - Otter trawls can incidentally catch undersized scup. Minimum mesh size regulations and time and area restrictions for trawl nets help to reduce incidental catch of undersized scup. - The rest of the commercial harvest is mainly caught with floating traps and hand lines. - Floating traps are anchored to the bottom in inshore waters in the migratory path of scup. Fishermen check on the traps daily to sort their catch. - Paired trawl nets, pound nets, and pots catch a small percentage of the commercial harvest. - Recreational fishery: - In 2016, recreational anglers landed approximately 2.8 million pounds of scup. - The top three states for recreational scup landings are New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. - In the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England, the recreational scup fishery is managed under separate regulations for federal and state waters. - Managers set regulations for the recreational fishery annually. They include a combination of an annual catch quota, minimum size limits, bag limits, and fishing seasons. - For-hire recreational vessels must have a permit to fish in federal waters. - In the South Atlantic, there is a limit on the amount of scup recreational fishermen can keep and restrictions on the type of gear they can use. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/porgy\_scup.png title: '' alt: | Scup illustration saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.64 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught scup is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Massachusetts to North Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic, Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the 2017 [stock assessment](http://www.mafmc.org/s/5Scup_2017_Assesssment_Update.pdf) for scup in the Mid-Atlantic and New England, scup are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. The population status for scup has not been assessed in the South Atlantic region. - With greatly improved reproduction and survival rates and low fishing rates since 1998, Mid-Atlantic spawning stock biomass (a measure of the amount of scup able to reproduce) has steadily increased since the mid-1990s, up to about 190,000 metric tons in 2012, then down slightly to 183,000 metric tons in 2014. population: | Above target population level in the Mid-Atlantic and New England. The population level is unknown in the South Atlantic. protein: | 18.88 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/index.html), the [Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council](http://www.mafmc.org/), and the [Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission](http://www.asmfc.org/species/scup) cooperatively manage the scup fishery north of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. - Individual states may set different regulations for the commercial scup fishery. Where state measures differ from federal regulations, federally permitted fishery participants must adhere to the more restrictive measures. - Managed under the [Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan](http://www.mafmc.org/sf-s-bsb/): - Annual commercial quota is divided into three harvest periods: Winter I (January–April), Summer (May–October), and Winter II (November–December). - The Commission manages the summer quota with individual state quotas. - NOAA Fisheries monitors commercial harvests and closes the federal scup fishery when the quotas are reached. - Minimum size limits to prevent the harvest of young fish that likely haven’t yet reproduced. - Minimum mesh size requirements for trawl nets to reduce bycatch of undersized scup. - Scup pots and traps must have degradable hinges and escape vents to reduce bycatch and to prevent “ghost fishing” (when a lost trap continues to catch fish or lobster). - A moratorium on entry into the fishery. - Recreational anglers are subject to an annual harvest limit, minimum fish sizes, possession limits, and open harvest periods. - [NOAA Fisheries](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/index.html) and the [South Atlantic Fishery Management Council](http://safmc.net/) manage the black sea bass fishery south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. - Managed under the [South Atlantic Snapper Grouper Fishery Management Plan](https://safmc.net/fishery-management-plans-amendments/snapper-grouper-fishery-management-plan/). - A small amount of scup is harvested in the South Atlantic. Scup are managed as part of a complex with several other porgy species. - The Snapper Grouper FMP requires fishermen to have a permit and to comply with gear restrictions. The complex is regulated through commercial and recreational annual catch limits and accountability measures to ensure overfishing does not occur. cholesterol: | 52 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 42 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Scup grow slowly, up to about 20 inches long and 4 pounds. - They can live a relatively long time, up to about 20 years. - Scup are able to reproduce when they reach age 2, when they’re about 8 inches long. - They spawn over weedy or sandy areas in southern New England from Massachusetts Bay south to the New York Bight from May through August, with peak activity in June. - Individual scup spawn once a year. - Most fish spawn at night, but scientists believe scup spawn in the morning. - Females release an average of 7,000 eggs, which are fertilized externally. - Scup are browsers – they nibble on invertebrates that live on the ocean bottom. - They are able to grasp food with their incisors and crush hard-shelled animals with their strong molars. - A variety of plankton-eaters—such as medusae, crustaceans, and fish—prey on scup larvae. - A number of fish and shorebirds prey on juvenile and adult scup. - calories: 106 physical_description: | - Pink shrimp are crustaceans with 10 slender, relatively long walking legs and five pairs of swimming legs, located on the front surface of the abdomen. - They typically have a dark-colored spot on each side between their third and fourth abdominal segments. Their tail usually has a dark blue band (rather than the purplish band found on brown shrimp). - Their carapace is grooved. - Part of their shell is a well-developed, toothed rostrum that extends to or beyond the outer edge of the eyes. human_health: texture: Tender. environmental_considerations: species_name: Pink Shrimp diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/pink-shrimp habitat_impacts: | Gear restrictions, such as a weak-link in the tickler chain, are in place to protect bottom habitat from trawl gear. location: | - Pink shrimp are found from southern Chesapeake Bay to the Florida Keys and around the coast of the Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan south of Cabo Catoche, Mexico. They’re most abundant off southwestern Florida and the southeastern Gulf of Campeche.  color: | Raw shrimp meat is translucent pink to gray. When cooked, their shells are pinkish-red and their meat is pearly white with pink and red shadings. species_aliases: | [Spotted shrimp](/species-aliases/spotted-shrimp), [Hopper](/species-aliases/hopper), [Pink spotted shrimp](/species-aliases/pink-spotted-shrimp), [Brown spotted shrimp](/species-aliases/brown-spotted-shrimp), [Grooved shrimp](/species-aliases/grooved-shrimp), [Green shrimp](/species-aliases/green-shrimp), [Pink night shrimp](/species-aliases/pink-night-shrimp), [Red shrimp](/species-aliases/red-shrimp), [Skipper](/species-aliases/skipper), [Pushed shrimp](/species-aliases/pushed-shrimp) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_41.jpg title: | Pink shrimp typically have a dark colored spot on each side between their third and fourth abdominal segments. Photo credit: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. alt: | Pink shrimp typically have a dark colored spot on each side between their third and fourth abdominal segments. Photo credit: South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_32.jpg title: | Shrimp trawler operating in the Gulf of Mexico. alt: | Shrimp trawler operating in the Gulf of Mexico. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_35.jpg title: | Sea turtle escaping a shrimp net through a Turtle Excluder Device. alt: | Sea turtle escaping a shrimp net through a Turtle Excluder Device. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 38 mcg management: habitat: | - Pink shrimp are commonly found on sand, sand-shell, or coral-mud bottoms. - Young shrimp live and grow in nursery areas with marsh grasses in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. These grassy areas offer abundant food and shelter. - As pink shrimp grow, they migrate seaward to deeper, saltier water. They travel primarily at night, especially around dusk, and bury themselves in the bottom substrate during the day. - Smaller pink shrimp remain in estuaries during winter and bury themselves deep in the sand or mud to protect themselves from the cold temperatures. farming_methods: scientific_name: Farfantepenaeus duorarum production: fat_total: 1.73 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round, with peaks in the winter. research: | - [Pink shrimp may indicate whether or not the Everglades are healthy](http://news.wgcu.org/post/pink-shrimp-may-indicate-whether-or-not-everglades-are-healthy) - [NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center Shrimp Research](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/species/shrimp/) fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#ebada3 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Flavorful and sweet. health_benefits: | Pink shrimp is low in saturated fat and is a very good source of protein, selenium, and vitamin B12. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, landings of pink shrimp totaled more than 18.6 million pounds and were valued at more than $42.4 million.   - The three species of penaeid shrimp ([white](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/white-shrimp), pink, and [brown](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/brown-shrimp)) make up the vast majority of the shrimp harvested in the southeast. This fishery is one of the most valuable fisheries in the southeastern United States. - Approximately 80 percent of the pink shrimp harvested in the United States comes from the west coast of Florida. - Annual harvests of pink shrimp vary considerably from year to year, primarily due to environmental conditions. Harvests are much lower in years following severe winter weather. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Commercial fishermen harvest shrimp with trawls towed near the ocean floor. The nets are wide in the front and taper toward the back. - Shrimpers using otter trawl gear in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are required to use sea [turtle excluder devices (TEDs)](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/fishing-gear-turtle-excluder-devices). - Some shrimp trawlers must also install [bycatch reduction devices](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/labs/mississippi/brd/) behind the TED, to reduce finfish bycatch. - Area closures if fishing effort exceeds certain thresholds. - Trawlers in the Gulf of Mexico must have a weak-link in the tickler chain, which hangs in front of the net and drags along the ocean floor to stir up shrimp from the bottom into the net. This weak-link allows the tickler chain to drop away if it gets hung up on natural bottom structures. - Fishermen do not trawl in areas with coral reefs and other known areas of high-relief to avoid damage to their nets. - Recreational fishery: - Under federal management, there is no recognized recreational fishery. Fishing in federal waters requires a permit. - Recreational fishermen catch pink shrimp seasonally and almost always in state waters. State regulations vary from state to state. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/pink\_shrimp.png title: '' alt: | Pink shrimp saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.328 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught pink shrimp is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0.91 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from North Carolina to Texas, but mainly from Florida.  noaa_fisheries_region: | Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the 2018 stock assessment, the pink shrimp stock in the South Atlantic is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing. - According to the 2018 stock assessment, the pink shrimp stock in the Gulf of Mexico is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 20.31 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/index.html) and the [South Atlantic](http://www.safmc.net/) and [Gulf of Mexico](http://gulfcouncil.org/index.php) Fishery Management Councils manage the pink shrimp fishery, and state resource management agencies are responsible for inshore state waters.  - In the South Atlantic, managed under the [Shrimp Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic Region](http://safmc.net/fishery-management-plans-amendments/shrimp-2/): - Permits are needed to harvest shrimp in federal waters. - Fishing trip reports must be submitted for each fishing trip. - Observers must be carried aboard vessels if selected, to collect data on catch, bycatch, fishing effort, and fishing gear. - Managers set catch levels based on historic harvest amounts and fishing rates, rather than abundance because pink shrimp are short-lived and heavily influenced by environmental factors. - In the Gulf of Mexico, managed under the [Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery Management Plan](http://gulfcouncil.org/fishery-management/implemented-plans/shrimp/): - Permits are needed to harvest shrimp in federal waters. Currently no new permits are being issued to prevent an increase in the number of boats participating in the fishery. - Electronic logbooks must be installed and selected fishermen must submit trip reports for each fishing trip. - Observers must be carried aboard vessels if selected, to collect data on catch, bycatch, fishing effort, and fishing gear. - Each year all shrimping in federal waters off Texas is closed from approximately mid-May to mid-July to protect brown shrimp populations. cholesterol: | 152 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 148 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Pink shrimp grow fairly fast, depending on factors such as water temperature and salinity, and can reach over 8 inches in length.  - They have a short life span, usually less than 2 years, and are often referred to as an “annual crop.” - Pink shrimp are able to reproduce when they reach about 3.3 inches long. - Off North Carolina, they spawn in May through July. In Florida they spawn multiple times, peaking from April through July when the water is warmest. - Males mate with females and anchor their sperm to the females. Females release about 500,000 to 1 million eggs near the ocean floor, and the eggs are fertilized as they are released. - Newly hatched shrimp travel to their estuarine nursery habitats in late spring and early summer, propelled by shoreward currents. - Shrimp that survive the winter grow rapidly in late winter and early spring before returning to the ocean. - Pink shrimp larvae feed on plankton (tiny floating plants and animals). Juvenile and adult shrimp are omnivorous, feeding on copepods, small mollusks, diatoms, algae, plant detritus, bacterial films, slime molds, and yeast. - Sheepshead minnows, water boatmen, and insect larvae eat postlarval shrimp, and grass shrimp, killifishes, and blue crabs prey on young shrimp. - A wide variety of finfish feed heavily on juvenile and adult shrimp. - calories: 106 physical_description: | - White shrimp are crustaceans with 10 slender, relatively long walking legs and five pairs of swimming legs located on the front surface of the abdomen. - Their bodies are light gray, with green coloration on the tail and a yellow band on part of the abdomen. - Their carapace is not grooved. - Part of their shell is a well-developed, toothed rostrum that extends to or beyond the outer edge of the eyes. - They have longer antennae than other shrimp (2.5 to 3 times longer than their body length). human_health: texture: Slightly more tender than other shrimp, and their shells are somewhat softer and easier to peel. environmental_considerations: species_name: White Shrimp diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/white-shrimp habitat_impacts: | Gear restrictions, such as a weak-link in the tickler chain, are in place to protect bottom habitat from trawl gear. location: | - White shrimp are found from Fire Island, New York, to St. Lucie Inlet on the Atlantic Coast of Florida. In the Gulf of Mexico, they are found from the Ochlochonee River, Florida, to Campeche, Mexico.  color: | Raw shrimp meat is translucent pink to gray. When cooked, their shells are pinkish-red and their meat is pearly white with pink and red shadings. species_aliases: | [Northern white shrimp](/species-aliases/northern-white-shrimp), [Gray shrimp](/species-aliases/gray-shrimp), [Lake shrimp](/species-aliases/lake-shrimp), [Green shrimp](/species-aliases/green-shrimp), [Common shrimp](/species-aliases/common-shrimp), [Daytona shrimp](/species-aliases/daytona-shrimp), [Southern shrimp](/species-aliases/southern-shrimp) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/01\_40.jpg title: | White shrimp. alt: | White shrimp. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/02\_31.jpg title: | Shrimp trawler off Georgia. alt: | Shrimp trawler off Georgia. - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/03\_34.jpg title: | Shrimp boats at a Louisiana boatyard. alt: | Shrimp boats at a Louisiana boatyard. harvest_type: Wild selenium: 38 mcg management: habitat: | - White shrimp commonly inhabit estuaries and coastal areas out to about 100 feet offshore. - Young shrimp live and grow in nursery areas with muddy ocean bottoms and low to moderate salinity. - White shrimp are often found in association with other shrimp species, specifically [brown](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/brown-shrimp) shrimp. farming_methods: scientific_name: Litopenaeus setiferus production: fat_total: 1.73 g bycatch: | Regulations are in place to minimize bycatch. availability: | Year-round, with peaks in the fall. research: | - [NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center Shrimp Research](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/species/shrimp/) fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#e5ca9c sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Flavorful and sweet. Large white shrimp don’t develop the slight iodine taste of other large shrimp. health_benefits: | Shrimp is low in saturated fat and is a very good source of protein, selenium, and vitamin B12. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - In 2017, landings of white shrimp totaled more than 126 million pounds and were valued at approximately $260.9 million. - The three species of penaeid shrimp (white, [pink](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/pink-shrimp), and [brown](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/brown-shrimp)) make up the vast majority of the shrimp harvested in the southeast. This fishery is one of the most valuable fisheries in the southeastern United States. - Almost all of the white shrimp harvested in the United States comes from the Gulf of Mexico, mainly from Louisiana and Texas. Landings in the South Atlantic are generally spread evenly among the states. - Annual harvests of white shrimp vary considerably from year to year, primarily due to environmental conditions. Harvests are much lower in years following severe winter weather. - White shrimp were the first commercially important shrimp species in the United States, dating back to 1709. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Commercial fishermen harvest shrimp with trawls towed near the ocean floor. The nets are wide in the front and taper toward the back. - Shrimpers using otter trawl gear in the South Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico are required to use sea [turtle excluder devices (TEDs)](https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/fishing-gear-turtle-excluder-devices). - Some shrimp trawlers must also install [bycatch reduction devices](http://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/labs/mississippi/brd/)[ ](https://www.sefsc.noaa.gov/labs/mississippi/brd/)behind the TED, to reduce finfish bycatch. - Area closures if fishing effort exceeds certain thresholds. - Trawlers in the Gulf of Mexico must have a weak-link in the tickler chain, which hangs in front of the net and drags along the ocean floor to stir up shrimp from the bottom into the net. This weak-link allows the tickler chain to drop away if it gets hung up on natural bottom structures. - Fishermen do not trawl in areas with coral reefs and other known areas of high relief to avoid damage to their nets. - Recreational fishery: - Under federal management, there is no recognized recreational fishery. Fishing in federal waters requires a permit. - Recreational fishermen catch white shrimp seasonally and almost always in state waters. State regulations vary from state to state. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/white\_shrimp.png title: '' alt: | White shrimp saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.328 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught white shrimp is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0.91 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from North Carolina to Texas. noaa_fisheries_region: | Southeast animal_health: population_status: | - According to the 2018 stock assessment, the white shrimp stock in the South Atlantic is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing. - According to the 2018 stock assessment, the white shrimp stock in the Gulf of Mexico is not overfished and is not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels. protein: | 20.31 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/index.html) and the [South Atlantic](http://www.safmc.net/) and [Gulf of Mexico](http://gulfcouncil.org/index.php) Fishery Management Councils manage the white shrimp fishery. - In the South Atlantic, managed under the [Shrimp Fishery Management Plan for the South Atlantic Region](http://safmc.net/fishery-management-plans-amendments/shrimp-2/): - Permits are needed to harvest shrimp in federal waters. - Fishing trip reports must be submitted for each fishing trip. - Observers must be carried aboard vessels if selected, to collect data on catch, bycatch, fishing effort, and fishing gear. - Managers set catch levels based on historic harvest amounts and fishing rates, rather than abundance because white shrimp are short-lived and heavily influenced by environmental factors. - The white shrimp population can be periodically decimated by severe winter cold in the South Atlantic, especially offshore of Georgia and South Carolina. Fishery closures may be implemented to help protect the remaining adult population so they can spawn. - Federal waters close if cold weather reduces the shrimp population by 80 percent or more, or if water temperatures fall below a critical level. - In the Gulf of Mexico, managed under the [Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery Management Plan](http://gulfcouncil.org/fishery-management/implemented-plans/shrimp/): - Permits are needed to harvest shrimp in federal waters. Currently no new permits are being issued to prevent an increase in the number of boats participating in the fishery. - Electronic logbooks must be installed and selected fishermen must submit trip reports for each fishing trip. - Observers must be carried aboard vessels if selected, to collect data on catch, bycatch, fishing effort, and fishing gear. - Each year all shrimping in federal waters off Texas is closed from approximately mid-May to mid-July to protect [brown shrimp](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/brown-shrimp) populations. cholesterol: | 152 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 148 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - White shrimp grow fairly fast, depending on factors such as water temperature and salinity, and can reach up to 7 or 8 inches in length. - They have a short life span, usually less than 2 years, and are often referred to as an “annual crop.” - They are able to reproduce when they reach about 5 ½ inches long. - White shrimp spawn when offshore ocean bottom water temperatures increase, generally from May through September in the Carolinas, and from March through September in the Gulf of Mexico. - Males mate with females and anchor their sperm to the females. Females release about 500,000 to 1 million eggs near the ocean floor, and the eggs are fertilized as they are released. - Newly hatched shrimp travel to their estuarine nursery habitats in April and early May. - Shrimp that survive the winter grow rapidly in late winter and early spring before returning to the ocean. - White shrimp larvae feed on plankton (tiny floating plants and animals). - Juvenile and adult shrimp are omnivorous and feed on the bottom on detritus, plants, microorganisms, macroinvertebrates, and small fish. Cannibalism is also common among adult white shrimp. - Sheepshead minnows, water boatmen, and insect larvae eat postlarval shrimp, and grass shrimp, killifishes, and blue crabs prey on young shrimp. - A wide variety of finfish feed heavily on juvenile and adult shrimp. - calories: 90 physical_description: | - Silver hake are silvery in color, brownish on the back and whitish on the belly, with black speckles on the back and black inside the mouth. - They have large heads for their size and sharp teeth. - They have long pectoral fins and are fast swimmers. human_health: texture: Hakes have softer flesh and are less flaky than other whitefish such as cod, haddock, and pollock. environmental_considerations: species_name: Silver Hake diseases_in_salmon: path: | /profiles/silver-hake habitat_impacts: | Fishing gears used to harvest silver hake have minimal impacts on habitat. location: | - Silver hake are found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean and range primarily from Newfoundland to South Carolina. color: | Raw and cooked hake is white to off-white. species_aliases: | [Whiting](/species-aliases/whiting), [Atlantic hake](/species-aliases/atlantic-hake), [New England hake](/species-aliases/new-england-hake) image_gallery: - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/silver-hake\_01\_0.jpg title: | Silver hake (Merluccius blinearis). Credit: NOAA Teacher at Sea alt: | Silver hake image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/silver-hake\_02.jpg title: | Silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis). Credit: Don Flescher, National Marine Fisheries Service Systematics Laboratory alt: | Silver hake image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/silver-hake\_03.jpg title: | Silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis). Credit: NEFSC/NOAA alt: | Silver hake image - src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/silver-hake\_04.jpg title: | Two juvenile hake on a fingertip. Credit: Jerry Prezioso, NEFSC/NOAA alt: | Two juvenile hake on a fingertip image harvest_type: Wild selenium: 32.1 mcg management: habitat: | - In U.S. waters, two stocks have been identified. The northern stock of silver hake inhabits the waters of the Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank, and the southern stock inhabits the waters of Southern Georges Bank and the Mid-Atlantic Bight. - As nocturnal, semi-pelagic predators, silver hake move up in the water column to feed at night, primarily between dusk and midnight. They return to rest on the ocean bottom during the day, preferring sandy, muddy, or pebbly ocean bottoms. - Silver hake migrate in response to seasonal changes in water temperatures, moving toward shallow, warmer waters in the spring. - They spawn in these shallow waters during late spring and early summer and then return to deeper waters in the autumn. - Older, larger silver hake prefer deeper waters. - During the summer, portions of both stocks can be found on Georges Bank. - During the winter, fish in the northern stock move to deep basins in the Gulf of Maine, while fish in the southern stock move to outer continental shelf and slope waters. - Silver hake are widely distributed, and have been observed at temperature ranges of 2 to 17° C (36 to 63° F) and depth ranges of 11 to 500 meters (36 to 1,640 feet). However, they are most commonly found in temperatures between 7 and 10° C (45 to 50° F). farming_methods: scientific_name: Merluccius bilinearis production: fat_total: 1.31 g bycatch: | Raised-footrope trawls are required in designated areas when targeting hake to minimize bycatch of other species. availability: | Year-round. research: | - [Silver hake track changes in Northwest Atlantic circulation](http://www.nature.com/ncomms/journal/v2/n8/full/ncomms1420.html). fishing_rate: | At recommended levels. quote_background_color: | \#8195a5 sugars_total: | 0 g taste: | Mild and slightly sweet. health_benefits: | Silver hake is a good source of selenium, vitamin B, magnesium, and protein. harvest: | - Commercial fishery: - The 2016 landings of silver hake totaled more than 16 million pounds, primarily coming from the Mid-Atlantic and Southern Georges Bank, and were valued at more than $11 million. - Commercial landings of both stocks are only about 15% of allowable levels. - Silver hake is part of the small-mesh multispecies management unit, along with [red hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/red-hake) and offshore hake, which are collectively referred to as “whiting." - The small-mesh multispecies fishery in the United States operates from Maine to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. - Gear types, habitat impacts, and bycatch: - Fishermen using small-mesh trawl gear to catch silver hake must comply with a number of specific requirements to reduce bycatch of larger groundfish species. - In designated areas, fishermen are required to use raised-footrope trawls, which are designed to keep the net off the bottom to reduce bycatch of flatfish and other species. - Discard rates for silver hake are relatively low (10% of the northern silver hake landings and 21% of the southern whiting and offshore hake landings). - Approximately 60% of the [red hake](https://www.fishwatch.gov/profiles/red-hake) caught as bycatch in the whiting fishery are discarded. - Recreational fishery: - Recreational fishermen do not target silver hake but sometimes catch them incidentally while fishing for other groundfish. - There are currently no restrictions on recreational possession, size, or gear type for silver hake caught recreationally in federal waters. - There are no specific areas for the recreational fishery. disease_treatment_and_prevention: species_illustration_photo: src: | https://www.fishwatch.gov/sites/default/files/silver\_hake.png title: | Silver Hake alt: | Silver Hake illustration saturated_fatty_acids_total: | 0.247 g quote: | U.S. wild-caught silver hake is a smart seafood choice because it is sustainably managed and responsibly harvested under U.S. regulations. carbohydrate: | 0 g serving_weight: | 100 g (raw) ecosystem_services: source: | U.S. wild-caught from Maine to South Carolina. noaa_fisheries_region: | Greater Atlantic animal_health: population_status: | - According to the [2017 stock assessment](https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd1802/), Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank (northern stock) and Southern Georges Bank and Mid-Atlantic (southern stock) silver hake are not overfished and are not subject to overfishing. population: | Above target population levels for the northern stock. Below target levels and fishing rate promotes population growth for the southern stock. protein: | 18.31 g environmental_effects: fishery_management: | - [NOAA Fisheries](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/) and the [New England Fishery Management Council](http://www.nefmc.org/index.html) manage the silver hake fishery. - Silver hake are managed and assessed as two stocks: The Gulf of Maine and Northern Georges Bank (northern stock) and the Southern Georges Bank and Mid-Atlantic (southern stock). The southern stock includes southern silver hake and offshore hake. - Managed under the [Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan for Small Mesh Multispecies](http://www.nefmc.org/management-plans/small-mesh-multispecies): - Permitting requirements. - A cap on the amount of groundfish bycatch that fishing vessels can take. - Seasonal and spatial limitations throughout the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank on fishing with small mesh. - Trip limits by mesh size and area. - In-season trip limit reductions and catch monitoring help prevent excessive catches. - The small-mesh multispecies fishery is managed primarily through a series of [exemptions](https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/regs/infodocs/small_mesh_exemption.pdf) from the Northeast Multispecies Fishery Management Plan. Exempted fisheries allow vessels to fish for specific species, such as silver hake, in designated areas using mesh sizes smaller than the minimum mesh size allowed under the Regulated Mesh Area regulations. cholesterol: | 67 mg displayed_seafood_profile_illustration: fiber_total_dietary: | 0 g sodium: | 72 mg feeds: servings: | 1 biology: | - Female silver hake are serial spawners, producing and releasing up to three batches of eggs in a single spawning season. - Spawning areas include the coastal region of the Gulf of Maine from Cape Cod to Grand Manan Island, southern and southeastern Georges Bank, and the southern New England area south of Martha’s Vineyard. - Their peak spawning occurs earlier in the south (May to June) than in the north (July to August). - More than half of 2-year-old silver hake and virtually all 3-year-olds are sexually mature. - Silver hake can live as long as 14 years, although few fish older than age 6 have been observed in U.S. waters in recent years. - They can grow to be more than 28 inches long and up to 5 pounds. - Silver hake are important to the northwest Atlantic ecosystem both as prey and predators. - They are voracious predators and feed on fish, crustaceans, and squid. ...