Lingcod, rockfish and great white shark endangered

82 species of North American fish are in danger of extinction. This was reported in the current issue of Fisheries, a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Fisheries Society. Unfortunately, the article is not yet on their web site. Twelve species of Sebastes are endangered, as well as lingcod, great white sharks and basking sharks. Four types of sturgeon, including green and white sturgeon are also endangered.

Most of the endangered fish are slow-growing and slow to reach sexual maturity.

Zeke Grader, executive director of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Association states:

Refuges are not going to help a lot of these stock. They're everybody's favorite mantra right now. They might work for certain species of rockfish, but what we really need is a combination of good research followed by sound management practices.

Grader said fish stocks should be

proactively protected and rebuilt. That includes making sure we really have good information on the life histories of the (threatened species), and perhaps prohibiting certain types of activities, like heavy bottom trawling. We should also look at restoring habitat, like building artificial reefs where natural ones have been destroyed.

This information was covered in the San Francisco Chronicle on 3 November, 2000, as well as 2 November, 2000. The National Resources Defense Council issued a press release on the subject.