We constantly hear bad news about the depletion of fish stocks worldwide, but in the U.S. signs are much more hopeful. Last week the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its annual report card, called the Status of U.S. Fisheries, and, for the first time since its 1997 debut, no stocks were added to the overfishing list.

Four stocks — Atlantic swordfish, Atlantic scup, Atlantic black sea bass and Alaska blue king crab — were rebuilt in 2009 and are now safe for harvest, bringing the total number of rebuilt stocks since 2001 to 18.

‘Overfishing’ means the catch is above the target set in the fishery’s management plan, while ‘overfished’ factors in a safety margin ensuring the stock is able to recover. ‘By working with our regional fishery councils and commercial and recreational fishermen, we are getting closer every year to ending overfishing in our waters,’ said Eric Schwaab, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. ‘With annual catch limits coming into effect this year, we expect our progress to accelerate.’

These strict management systems are really achieving results, but not without a price. Coastal fishing communities are trying to cope with these catch limits as well as fierce competition from unregulated foreign catches and unsafe foreign farmed fish, and many are struggling to survive. We need to understand these values, and support our fishermen as well as our fish.

The Walleye season opened much slower than anticipated, and we shipped less than we had planned. Bill and Karen of Red Lake Nation are hoping that catches will increase.

Catches are increasing in Montauk, NY and we have been shipping beautiful line-caught Fluke and Monkfish, as well as day-boat Scallops. Chefs within about 300 miles (Boston-Washington) can take advantage of the new next-day-ground service and our ‘10% local discount’.

Great fish continues to land in Beaufort, NC and in fisheries across Alaska.

We still have some frozen Gulf White Shrimp in cold storage outside New Orleans, but there is still no good news coming out of the Gulf.