The federal government is adding several stocks of fish to its list of overfished species, including a pair of salmon that is popular with seafood fans.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its annual Report to Congress on the Status of U.S. Fisheries on Friday. The report says two populations of Chinook salmon and three populations of coho salmon will be added to the list.
When a stock is listed as “overfished,” officials will suggest measures to rebuild its population. That could involve fishing restrictions.
NOAA says several stocks added to the list were affected by factors that fisheries managers can’t control. The three coho stocks are in Washington state, where warmer water, drought and degraded habitat made spawning difficult.
The agency says the vast majority of U.S. fish stocks remain at sustainable levels.
