similar to river herring, shad spend their adult lives at sea, returning to their native rivers in the spring to breed, are found from Newfoundland to Florida, and populations are at or near historic lows. In 2013, states had to demonstrate sustainable harvest plans otherwise their shad fisheries (both recreational and commercial) closed. They are [..]

The federal agency in charge of the management, conservation and protection of living marine resources within the U.S. EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone from three to 200 miles offshore). It is responsible for creating sustainable fisheries following the guidelines in the Magnuson-Stevens Act, assessing and predicting the status of fish stocks, and ensu [..]

Atlantic menhaden play a vital role in the marine ecosystem from Maine to Florida.  By weight, more menhaden are caught than any other fish on the East Coast. One company, Omega Protein, operates a fleet that each year scoops up about three-quarters of the entire East Coast menhaden catch—more than 410 million pounds. The oily fish are typically gr [..]

Bottom-dwelling, or demersal, fish species such as Atlantic cod, haddock, flounders, hake and pollock. These species often share the same habitat and are managed together as a stock complex. Though groundfish spend much of their lives near the bottom of the ocean, the eggs and larval fish live near the water surface and even adults move up into the [..]

Species that play a vital role in the ocean food web as prey for larger fish, seabirds and marine mammals. On the Atlantic coast, this includes small, schooling species such as Atlantic herring, river herring, shad, mackerel, menhaden, smelt, sand lance and squid. Forage fish are also characterized by wide population swings and are vulnerable to fi [..]

A geographic management unit for a portion of a fish population usually defined by a particular migration pattern, specific spawning grounds or because it is fished in a specific area. Single species are sometimes managed as several stocks based on biology, fishery activities, management practicalities or some combination of these. For example, Atl [..]

A fishery management approach that considers the entire ecosystem – including impacts of fishing on target and non-target species, habitats, predator-prey relationships and other ecological interactions – with a goal of maintaining and restoring ecosystem health and sustainability. This approach represents a shift from traditional single-species ma [..]

A limit on the amount of bycatch that can be caught in a particular fishery. If a cap is reached, an area or the entire fishery is closed to additional fishing for the remainder of the year.

Sea life unintentionally caught while fishing for another species. This sea life, often killed or maimed by the fishing gear, is either brought to shore and sold, or discarded at sea.

In general, buffer zones offer a protective barrier between an area of industrial activity and an area judged to be ecologically sensitive - such as buffer zones that protect wetlands. The Herring Alliance has advocated for fisheries buffer zones that protect sensitive near-shore areas from industrial herring fishing. A buffer zone was established [..]