NORTHEAST U.S. LMR'S 



The fisheries of the northeast region (Units 

 1, 2, 3, and 4) annually contribute about 

 25% of the value and 1 8% of the volume of 

 the Nation's commercial fisheries. In 1990, 

 the total northeast landings were 753,000 

 t, valued at $857 million. The category, 

 mixed groundfish, is the most valuable 

 component of the commercial fishery 

 ($178 million), followed by American lob- 

 ster ($151 million) and Atlantic sea scallop 

 ($147 million). Marine angling is extremely 

 important and contributes an estimated 

 $1.5 billion per year to the region's econ- 

 omy. 

 Northeast finfish and invertebrate fisher- 



ies have an estimated LTPY of over 1.1 

 million t (exclusive of resources within 

 state waters such as menhaden, blue crab, 

 oyster, blue mussel, hard clam, etc.), or 

 12% of the national LTPY. Recent annual 

 landings in this region have totaled only 

 500,000 t-less than half of their long-term 

 potential yield. The large discrepancy be- 

 tween recent landings and potential yield 

 results from overutilization of 18 regional 

 stocks (including most groundfish and 

 flounders) and 7 underutilized stocks (in- 

 cluding Atlantic mackerel, squids, and but- 

 terfish); 1 1 species (stocks) are considered 

 fully utilized. 



A summer flounder and 

 associated species (butter fish, 

 Loligo squid, and sand lance) 

 taken in research vessel surveys 

 off the New England coast 



SOUTHEAST U.S. LMR'S 



The combined LTPY for southeast Atlantic, 

 Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean LMR's (Units 

 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11) is estimated at 

 about 1.4 million t (16% of the national 

 LTPY); recent catches have run about 80% 

 of CPY and 77% of LTPY, and 17% of the 

 U.S. total. Atlantic swordfish and bluefin 

 tuna, many southeast Atlantic snappers 

 and groupers, and Caribbean reef fish have 

 been overutilized and some stocks are at 

 historically low levels. The status of many 

 other reef fish stocks is unknown, but they 



are likely to be overutilized as well. Individ- 

 ually, these stocks are minor portions of 

 the catch, but, in aggregate, they have 

 supported important recreational and 

 commercial fisheries. The recreationally 

 and commercially important coastal pe- 

 lagic species (e.g., mackerels, dolphin fish, 

 and cobia) yield only about 53% of their 

 estimated aggregate LTPY as a result of 

 overutilization. Certain individual stocks 

 are severely depressed, as are Gulf of Mex- 

 ico king mackerel. 



