In association with an interview conducted by SciLine of Martin Smith, professor of environmental economics in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, who studies the economics of our oceans and coasts. Martin offers insight into the basic economics of oceans and fisheries, the human health of fish, and how weather is shaping the fish migration patterns.
What is a fishery?
Martin says, “A fishery is typically a species of fish that’s caught in a particular place and often managed by a particular government or institution.” Some examples, Martin says, are the New England cod species fishery managed by the New England Fishery Management Council, and it’s caught off the coast of New England states. Atlantic Canada catches the same species of Atlantic cod.
There are two stocks of Atlantic cod in U.S. waters, the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank stocks. The Fisheries and the New England Fishery Management Council jointly manage the Gulf of Maine cod. Canadian authorities manage the Georges Bank cod stock that spans the international boundary collaboratively.
In the Southeast, the Gulf of America red snapper is a fishery.
Image found on NOAA.
The South Atlantic Red Snapper would be a separate fishery because that’s along the east coast of the United States, not in the Gulf. The fishery range is from North Carolina down through the tip of Florida.
Regional fishery management councils manage fisheries in federal waters, typically spanning 3 to 200 nautical miles to shore. The rules and requirements vary by: fishing type, area, marine species, and gear type, Martin explains. Five regional offices lead fisheries rule-making, permitting, and other management activities.
The Alaska pollock fishery is the largest in North America. Alaska pollock (also known as ‘walleye pollock’) live in schools, from midwater to bottom-dwelling.
How does the economy benefit from local fisheries?
According to NOAA, “Commercial fishing in the Gulf contributes millions of dollars to the economy from this ecosystem. Its seabed also produces more than half the U.S. domestic supply of oil and natural gas. Successfully managing marine fisheries in today’s busy ocean requires understanding the entire ecosystem.”
Fisheries generate income and provide a livelihood for people who fish, people who process and sell fish, the food service industry, tourism sectors, grocers, restaurants, fuel, and other adjacent industries. Fisheries are an epicenter of international, national, and local synergistic trade and economic vitality.
How is the weather changing the fisheries?
Warmer weather is changing the fisheries, causing fish stocks to move. The fish migrate, and the travel pattern is not always predictable. Martin explains that there is a tendency for fish to migrate towards the poles. In the Northern Hemisphere, they move north. In the Southern Hemisphere, they move south. “There is heterogeneity across different species of fish. Their habitats don’t align with the gradients of warming in the oceans, and the prey that they eat, as well as the predators that eat them, don’t always align with that. The tendency pushes things away from the tropics, which lessens marine productivity for fish.”
Other developing things arising in the warmer waters that play a factor:
- Algae blooms, which are stimulated in warming oceans. They cause fish to accumulate toxins, which can be harmful to people if they eat them.
- Low oxygenated water, better known as hypoxia, forms as the Earth warms. Fish breathe oxygen in the water through their gills. When there is low oxygen in the water, it puts stress on the fish, harming populations.
- The acidification of the oceans is due to elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The ocean absorbs CO2, which causes a low pH level. Shellfish like oysters and clams can’t grow their shells as easily in these conditions.
Martin says the changing climate will hurt fisheries.
How Many Fish Species: watch geographical areas over periods of time to get data. The experts analyzed the environmental factors, showing consistency with the increasing number of extinctions observed since the beginning of the 20th century.
Should we eat more fish?
Martin addresses that in the United States, most Americans don’t consume as much seafood as the USDA recommends. In fact, 90% of Americans under-consume the recommended weekly allowance, which is eight ounces of seafood per week. Seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids. It benefits cardiovascular health and also contributes to neurodevelopment. The flip side of that story is that 70% of Americans consume more than the recommended daily amounts of red meat, poultry, and eggs. The US is over-consuming certain animal proteins and under-consuming the healthy animal protein from seafood. Martin suggests that being more resilient to change is to diversify and eat more unexploited or under-exploited species.
The top fish and seafood species consumed in the USA, according to the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), are typically shrimp, salmon, canned tuna, tilapia, Alaska Pollock, cod, and catfish.
The total number of fish species in North America, encompassing Canada, Mexico, and the United States, is 5,089, according to the joint American Fisheries Society and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Committee. The United States has 3,821 species of fish. These species represent 75% of the total North American ichthyofauna.
Canada has 1,254 fish species. These species represent 25% of the total North American ichthyofauna. Mexico has 3,261 fish species. These species account for 64% of the total North American ichthyofauna. The number of species grew from 3,874 in the 2013 edition to 5,089 species in the 2023 edition, partly due to changes in the criteria.
**These percentages do not add up to 100% because many species are present in multiple countries and oceans. The total number of fish species in North America is 5,089
Other Findings in How Many Fish Species Are in North America
What can we do to help Fisheries?
Martin suggests, Lean into markets a little more. Fisheries couples adopt individual quota programs to secure property rights for people who fish for a living. Build resilience networks with others facing similar struggles. View fisheries as equity inclusion for fish that’s moved somewhere else. Proposing to relocate with the fish, sell the quota, and generate income, or lease the quota. Eat more fish for health and diversify your palette by trying a new species. Shop locally and globally to boost economic growth and help save the planet. Avoid overfishing. Legally catch and obey limits that help scientists see what the fish population can sustain.
Read more about Martin and his ongoing work with food systems and oceans. Get involved with more science work through SciLine.
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