According to reports from Portland, ME the east coast herring fishing industry will be almost completely shut down for the remainder of the year. Based on a 2020 scientific assessment which found the herring are being overfished the industry has been facing cuts in fishing quota
Projections estimate that 95% of this year’s quota had been harvested of November 23rd. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “The Atlantic herring fishery is extremely valuable to the economy in the Northeast United States. Herring are sold frozen, salted, or canned as sardines in both U.S. and international markets and provide affordable bait to fishermen targeting lobster, blue crab, and tuna.”
Nationwide more than 100 million pounds of herring were caught in 2017, but last year this number fell to less than 21 million pounds.
Source: CBSBoston
