NOAA Fisheries provides science-based conservation and management for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine mammals, endangered species and their habitats.

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About NOAA Fisheries

Our work is guided by two core mandates—to ensure the productivity and sustainability of fisheries and fishing communities through science-based decision-making and compliance with regulations, and to recover and conserve protected resources including whales, turtles, and salmon. We have five regional offices, six science centers, and more than 20 laboratories around the United States and U.S. territories. 

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47

The number of fish stocks rebuilt since 2000 as a result of our fishery management process.

164

The number of endangered and threatened species that NOAA Fisheries has jurisdiction over, including 66 foreign species.

19 pounds

The average amount of fish and shellfish Americans ate in 2020, down .3 pounds from 2019. U.S. dietary guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of seafood per week.

4.4 million square miles

The total area that NOAA Fisheries is responsible for monitoring and enforcing regulations for marine fisheries. This area is the largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world.

8.4 billion

The number of pounds of seafood that commercial fishermen landed in 2020 (most recent data year) valued at $4.7 billion.

1.7 million

The number of jobs that U.S. commercial and recreational fishing supported in fishing and across the broader economy, generating $253 billion in sales impacts, and contributing $117 billion to gross domestic product in 2020.

152,000 acres

The number of acres of habitat restored since 1991. Since then, NOAA has contributed technical and financial assistance to more than 3,600 projects, which have restored 152,000 acres of habitat and opened more than 6,700 stream miles for fish migration.

460

The number of fish stocks or stock complexes that NOAA Fisheries manages under 46 fishery management plans.

1.5 billion dollars

The value of U.S.-farmed seafood in 2017 (most recent data year). The most valuable U.S.-farmed marine species were oysters ($186 million), clams ($129 million), and Atlantic salmon ($61 million).

193 million

The number of fishing trips that saltwater anglers took in 2018 (most recent year of data). Those fishing trips supported 470,000 jobs and contributed $41 billion to the national economy.

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