Overfished species rebound 15 years after regulations

A new Natural Resources Defense Council report shows that two-thirds of government-monitored fish species affected by overfishing have rebounded due to regulations enacted in the last 15 years, according to National Geographic.

Researchers analyzed stock assessments and other data from the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service to monitor fish populations protected under the 1996 Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act—a law that mandated overfished populations be rebuilt within a decade.

The data showed that 28 of the 44 fish species targeted for government protection have either been designated as fully rebuilt or substantially bolstered through preservation efforts.

The preservation efforts have also helped fisherman: Gross commercial fishing revenues from the 28 rebuilt species were 54 percent higher, taking inflation into account, than before regulations were enacted.

Image: The fishing boat Caretta during certification operations (Credit: NOAA)