February 25, 2026 — NOAA Fisheries monitors and manages more than 460 fish stocks across U.S. ocean waters—that’s more than 4 million square miles of ocean! We work to ensure our fisheries are sustainable, which requires striking a healthy balance between positive economic impacts and long-term population health.
To ensure stocks are sustainably harvested, we make management decisions using the latest data. Fisheries managers may make decisions, such as closing or opening seasons, adjusting total catch limits, introducing quotas, or other measures. These decisions affect fishing communities, coastal economies, and the seafood available on our tables.
Accurate, reliable, and up-to-date data is essential for effective management decisions. Ocean data are a U.S. strategic asset. We are currently modernizing how we collect, manage, and use data with new technologies.
This modernization effort focuses on two main areas:
- Improving how we gather information in the ocean
- Enhancing how we analyze, store, and share that information
By strengthening both, we are building a faster, more efficient system that helps scientists and managers more effectively manage marine resources.
A more efficient data enterprise will help fisheries managers—like regional fishery management councils, marine fisheries commissions, international organizations, and other management bodies—make better, more informed decisions. Leveraging advanced technologies helps address challenges across regions related to data needs, infrastructure, and management.