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Trends in inland commercial fisheries in the United States

July 20, 2020

Inland fisheries, defined as finfish caught in lakes, rivers, and other water bodies, provide economic value and a source of protein at local and international levels. However, no comprehensive compilation of U.S. inland commercial fisheries exists. We sought to obtain data across all 50 states during 1990–2015 and noted a small, but significant, decline in harvest. The minimum harvest averaged 41,427 tonnes during 2009–2015 and peaked in 1995 with a minimum harvest of 49,951 tonnes. During 2009–2015, harvest and taxonomic composition varied regionally: eastern interior (the highest regional harvest, dominated by coregonines and carp), western interior (carp and Clupeidae), Gulf (catfish and Clupeidae), Pacific (salmonines), and Atlantic (the lowest regional harvest, dominated by catfish and Clupeidae). Our data compilation of commercial landings was more than double the current limited national inland harvest statistics, which might be indicative of an under appreciation for the value of inland fisheries that can have consequences when policy decisions are made regarding competing sectors for water usage.

Publication Year 2020
Title Trends in inland commercial fisheries in the United States
DOI 10.1002/fsh.10483
Authors Devin N. Murray, David B. Bunnell, Mark W. Rogers, Abigail Lynch, T. Douglas Beard,, Simon Funge-Smith
Publication Type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Series Title Fisheries Magazine
Index ID 70262001
Record Source USGS Publications Warehouse
USGS Organization Coop Res Unit Atlanta; Great Lakes Science Center; National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center
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