Use of Annual Catch Limits to Avoid Stock Depletion in the Northeast Pacific

Forty-one fish stocks in U.S. ocean waters continue to be fished at unsustainable levels and 46 fish stocks are overfished. In 2006, the U.S. Congress required the implementation of annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures by 2011 to prevent overfishing, and by 2012 to recover overfished stocks. These requirements were modeled on the existing management system for Northeast Pacific groundfish, where more than 20 fish stocks and assemblages have been sustainably managed for 30 years. Science-based overfishing levels and acceptable biological catches (ABCs) have been implemented for each stock or assemblage, with buffers between the two to avoid overfishing. Total allowable catches are set at or below the acceptable biological catch. Suballocations of quota by season, area, and gear type, along with in-season fishery closures based on extensive observer coverage and vessel monitoring, assure that quota are not exceeded. To comply with ACL requirements, the NPFMC has defined ABC as an ACL. We demonstrate the effectiveness of ACLs for successful management of Northeast Pacific groundfish, suggesting that their use in other U.S. fisheries may reduce the risk of overfishing and enhance the recovery of overfished stocks.