Savoring Sustainable Seafood

A Message from Eileen Sobeck, Head of NOAA Fisheries

October is National Seafood Month and across the country, there’s a bounty of delectable seafood choices to enjoy from U.S. fisheries.

Our fisheries are among the largest and most sustainable in the world, and all U.S. seafood is responsibly harvested and grown under a strong monitoring, management, and enforcement regime that works to keep the marine environment healthy, fish and shellfish populations thriving, and our seafood industry on the job.

A steady, sustainable supply of safe, healthy seafood is a critical ingredient to keeping our coastal communities and working waterfronts resilient, both environmentally and economically. And we know that our investments in science-based fisheries management are paying off. In 2013, U.S. fishermen landed 9.9 billion pounds of fish and shellfish worth $5.5 billion—that’s an increase of 245 million pounds and an additional $388 million compared to 2012. And in 2014, the number of U.S. fish stocks rebuilt since 2000 increased to 37. As a result of the combined efforts of NOAA Fisheries, the regional fishery management councils, and all of our partners, the number of stocks listed as subject to overfishing or overfished continues to decline and are at an all-time low.

For more facts about what makes U.S. seafood sustainable, seafood lovers can turn to FishWatch, the nation’s database on sustainable fisheries. And some great news—coming soon, consumers can find FishWatch information when they’re on the go—right on their phone or tablet.

Stay tuned throughout National Seafood Month as NOAA Fisheries features stories and updates on our website highlighting:

• The dynamic process of sustainably managing living marine resources in an ever-changing ocean environment;
• Getting to know your seafood from ocean-to-plate;
• Recent advancements in aquaculture, and much more.

You can also learn more about the 100 marine species profiled on FishWatch with our daily #SeafoodMonth facts coming soon.

This October, we encourage you to take some time to stop and savor the season, as well as the healthful and tasty seafood available.

Eileen Sobeck Assistant Administrator for NOAA Fisheries