Rebuilding

Black sea bass has been a popular catch along the East Coast of the United States. Its meat is tasty, and it puts up a bit of a fight, so commercial fleets and recreational anglers alike have gone after it. In fact, like many species, the black sea bass proved too popular. It was overfished, so stocks were dwindling in a hurry. But strict limits on the annual catch helped it rebound. In 2013, the southern sea bass population was declared “rebuilt,” and the fishing limits were doubled.

It was one of two fish populations declared rebuilt by federal regulators. The other was king salmon that spawn in the Sacramento River in California.

There are two major groups of black sea bass along the East Coast. The northern group had been overfished as well, but was rebuilt a few years ago. The southern population took a bit longer. This group ranges from Florida to North Carolina. The fish forage along rocky areas, such as those around piers and jetties. They eat small fish and shellfish, and a typical adult weighs a few pounds.

A few years ago, the population had dwindled to the point that the annual catch was limited to about 420 tons. That meant shorter seasons for catching the fish, and a limit on the size of fish that recreational anglers could keep. That gave the population time to recharge. In late 2013, the limit was more than doubled. That will make black sea bass a more common sight on American tables, while keeping the population at a level that can be sustained in the years to come.