PORTLAND, ME (AP) – Fishing regulators and the seafood industry are coming to grips with the possibility some species that have declined with climate change might not come back.
It’s rare for regulators to completely shut down a fishery, but they’re considering doing just that in at least one instance, and warming waters are the culprit.
In New England, the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission is now considering making a moratorium on shrimp fishing permanent, essentially ending the centuries-old harvest of the shrimp.
It’s a stark siren for several species caught by U.S. fishermen that regulators say are on the brink.
Others include softshell clams, Alaskan crab, winter flounder and Chinook salmon.
By Patrick Whittle, Associated Press
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