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Overfishing 101

Compilation

Federal Fisheries Policy, Pacific Fish Conservation Campaign, Atlantic Herring Campaign, Conserving New England Fish, U.S. Caribbean Fish Conservation Campaign , Gulf of Mexico Fish Conservation Campaign, Campaign to End Overfishing in the Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic Fish Conservation Campaign, Global Tuna Conservation

Contact:
Dave Bard, 202.778.4551

Author:
Lee Crockett, Federal Fisheries Policy Director

Fishermen, conservationists and scientists have actively debated how best to manage our ocean fish populations for decades. But with so much at stake, it's critical that as many Americans as possible be actively engaged in this discussion.

Lee Crockett's “Overfishing 101” blog series aims to do just that by providing a new outlet, in which we hope to open up the discussion to the larger public, cut through the rhetoric and encourage more people to participate in marine fish conservation.

Also read "The Bottom Line," where Lee Crocket continues to explore fisheries management issues, while taking on other related subjects to provide a more in-depth look at the issues facing our ocean fish.

Read the full "Overfishing 101" series below.

Helpful Resources

Overfishing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Understanding U.S. Fishery Management
- Opinion
- Mar 30, 2011, 10:00 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy
Fishermen, conservationists and scientists have actively debated how best to manage our ocean fish populations for decades. But with so much at stake, it's critical that as many Americans as possible be actively engaged in this discussion. The “Overfishing 101” blog series aims to do just that by providing a new outlet, in which we hope to open up the discussion to the larger public, cut through the rhetoric and encourage more people to participate in marine fish conservation.More
Overfishing 101: How Ocean Fish Populations are Managed in the U.S.
- Opinion
- Apr 11, 2011, 10:47 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Conserving New England Fish, U.S. Caribbean Fish Conservation Campaign , Gulf of Mexico Fish Conservation Campaign, South Atlantic Fish Conservation Campaign
All too often the discussion around the issue of overfishing has been limited to a small group of stakeholders such as fishermen, conservationists and scientists. To help open up this debate to the broader public, I've developed a short series nicknamed "Overfishing 101." In this post, I'll take a look at some of the basics of why all Americans should care about how our ocean fish are managed. More
Overfishing 101: How Ocean Fish Populations are Managed in the U.S. (Part 2)
- Opinion
- Apr 26, 2011, 11:45 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Conserving New England Fish, U.S. Caribbean Fish Conservation Campaign , Gulf of Mexico Fish Conservation Campaign, South Atlantic Fish Conservation Campaign
To effectively manage these populations, the U.S. needs to base its policy on science. Few topics arouse passions about ocean conservation more quickly than overfishing—taking more fish from our ocean than nature can replace—and what to do about it. In my experience, this debate too often sinks into the details and jargon of fisheries management, making it difficult for the lay person to understand the subject. In this post, I’d like to break it down in a way that is easier to understand.More
Overfishing 101: The Importance of Rebuilding Our Fish Populations Without Delay
- Opinion
- May 09, 2011, 12:10 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy
Lee Crockett, Federal Fisheries Policy director, explores why efforts to delay rebuilding plans and legislative proposals to add so-called “flexibility” in managing fish populations are a bad idea that would only repeat past failed policies.More
Overfishing 101: Why Ending Overfishing Pays Off in the Long Run
- Opinion
- May 23, 2011, 10:25 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy
Lee Crockett, Federal Fisheries Policy director, discusses the economic benefits of ending overfishing and why we can't quit just when the current law is beginning to work.More
Overfishing 101: Why Ending Overfishing is Good for Both Fish and Fishermen Alike
- Opinion
- Jun 08, 2011, 12:00 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy
As a lifelong angler, I'm the first to admit that fishing can inspire passionate arguments about where, when and how to fish. But decisions about how to rebuild our depleted fish populations must be based on science and facts, not emotion or ideology.More
Overfishing 101: How Science Helps Managers End Overfishing and Rebuild Depleted Fish Populations
- Opinion
- Jun 30, 2011, 12:00 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy
Industry representatives frequently charge that federal fisheries managers use bad science to make decisions. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Learn more about the use of research in setting policy and managing our marine resources.More
Overfishing 101: A Big Fish Story We Should Take Seriously
- Opinion
- Aug 04, 2011, 13:45 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Conserving New England Fish
Almost everyone has a friend or a relative who loves to tell the tale of the "big one" that got away. And more often than not, that fish grows larger and larger with every telling of the story. I have to admit, as an avid angler, I may have been tempted to do this a time or two. But not all fish stories are tall tales.More
Overfishing 101: Why Rebuilding Fish Populations Benefits Everyone
- Opinion
- Aug 15, 2011, 13:25 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Pacific Fish Conservation Campaign, Conserving New England Fish, U.S. Caribbean Fish Conservation Campaign , Gulf of Mexico Fish Conservation Campaign, South Atlantic Fish Conservation Campaign
All too often, leaders in Washington focus on the short-term impacts of potential policies to the detriment of long-term benefits to our environment and economy. Ongoing efforts in Congress to weaken the federal laws that govern marine resources are a great case in point.More
Overfishing 101: New England's First Year of Fishing Under Sectors
- Opinion
- Aug 31, 2011, 09:40 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Atlantic Herring Campaign, Conserving New England Fish
In May 2010, the New England Fishery Management Council began a system of cooperative fishing groups called sectors. Sector members create a business plan that makes clear how the allotment will be divided and how, when and where they will fish. Find out how this new management plan has fared over the past year.More
Overfishing 101: It Ain't Over Till It's Over
- Opinion
- Sep 06, 2011, 15:25 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Pacific Fish Conservation Campaign, Atlantic Herring Campaign, Conserving New England Fish, U.S. Caribbean Fish Conservation Campaign , Gulf of Mexico Fish Conservation Campaign, South Atlantic Fish Conservation Campaign
Everyone loves a good comeback story, but sometimes a storyline emerges prematurely. Mark Twain famously responded to a press inquiry regarding his supposed demise by saying, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” Similarly, declarations earlier this year that overfishing had ended in America provide a case in point. More
Overfishing 101: Creative Ways to Protect Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
- Opinion
- Sep 12, 2011, 15:40 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Gulf Surface Longline Campaign
Many people have heard of bluefin tuna, even if they haven’t eaten it. Bluefin, which are among the world’s most remarkable animals, can reach 1,500 pounds, migrate across the Atlantic, dive to depths of more than 3,000 feet and swim at breakneck speeds. They have also been pursued for centuries for their rich, buttery flesh. Traditional bluefin fisheries used to be sustainable, but loosely regulated industrial-scale fishing changed everything for this amazing fish.More
Overfishing 101: Protecting Tuna with Technology
- Opinion
- Sep 26, 2011, 15:30 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Global Tuna Conservation
Atlantic bluefin have been over-exploited for years, with governments often dragging their feet when it comes to implementing measures that would help protect this valued species. As my friend, noted marine ecologist Carl Safina, recently said, “The right thing never happens for bluefin tuna.”More
Getting Serious About Illegal Tuna Fishing in the Mediterranean
- Opinion
- Oct 11, 2011, 16:05 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Global Tuna Conservation
Driftnets sound relatively harmless as a fishing method. But as any marine biologist will tell you, this gear threatens ocean wildlife. At its November meeting, however, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) could take steps to enforce current international prohibitions on the usage of this damaging practice.More
Overfishing 101: A Small Fish with Big Problems
- Opinion
- Oct 31, 2011, 10:15 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Atlantic Menhaden Campaign
Anglers like me are often impressed with size. We seek out the largest fish, revel in stories about the “big one” that got away, and proudly display photos of our most impressive catches. But it’s a small, unassuming fish, the Atlantic menhaden, which forms the backbone of ecosystems and economies along the East Coast of the United States. Unfortunately, after decades of poorly regulated fishing, menhaden are in serious trouble.More
ICCAT: Time to Tackle What's Really in the Net
- Opinion
- Nov 10, 2011, 13:25 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Global Shark Conservation, Global Tuna Conservation
What’s in a name? If you’re talking about ICCAT—the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas—so much is contained in that one acronym. This body manages all the tuna and tuna-like species found in the vast ocean waters between the United States and Europe and between South America and Africa.More
Overfishing 101: Postcard from Pendik
- Opinion
- Nov 23, 2011, 13:55 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Global Campaign to End Illegal Fishing, Global Shark Conservation, Global Tuna Conservation
ICCAT is the international body that manages tuna fisheries across a quarter of the ocean’s surface, including the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. More
Overfishing 101: Dissecting Sectors
- Opinion
- Dec 14, 2011, 15:30 EST
- Federal Fisheries Policy, Conserving New England Fish
New England groundfish fishermen have operated for more than a year under a new system of cooperative fishing groups called sectors. And as often happens with any transformation within an industry, some have prospered, while others have not. Some government officials are asking the federal government to overturn these reforms, but others say leave the basic system alone. So what’s really happening?More

Media Inquiries

Subscribe to News Feeds

For The Record

Overfishing 101

Helpful Resources

Overfishing 101: A Beginner's Guide to Understanding U.S. Fishery Management

Overfishing 101: How Ocean Fish Populations are Managed in the U.S.

Overfishing 101: How Ocean Fish Populations are Managed in the U.S. (Part 2)

Overfishing 101: The Importance of Rebuilding Our Fish Populations Without Delay

Overfishing 101: Why Ending Overfishing Pays Off in the Long Run

Overfishing 101: Why Ending Overfishing is Good for Both Fish and Fishermen Alike

Overfishing 101: How Science Helps Managers End Overfishing and Rebuild Depleted Fish Populations

Overfishing 101: A Big Fish Story We Should Take Seriously

Overfishing 101: Why Rebuilding Fish Populations Benefits Everyone

Overfishing 101: New England's First Year of Fishing Under Sectors

Overfishing 101: It Ain't Over Till It's Over

Overfishing 101: Creative Ways to Protect Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Overfishing 101: Protecting Tuna with Technology

Getting Serious About Illegal Tuna Fishing in the Mediterranean

Overfishing 101: A Small Fish with Big Problems

ICCAT: Time to Tackle What's Really in the Net

Overfishing 101: Postcard from Pendik

Overfishing 101: Dissecting Sectors

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