NC’s Saltwater Fishing Report Card

Many state and federal fisheries groups develop stock assessment models to estimate spawning stock biomass and fishing mortality rates for coastal species. These models  compare the existing condition of a fish stock with the desired or “target” conditions set for management and determine whether the stock is “overfished” or if “overfishing” is occurring. However, these stock status reports often lack detail about the severity of an “overfished” stock or the quality of a population that is not considered “overfished.”