Highly migratory fish travel long distances and often cross domestic and international boundaries. These pelagic species live in the water of the open ocean, although they may spend part of their life cycle in nearshore waters. Highly migratory species managed by NOAA Fisheries include tunas, some sharks, swordfish, billfish, and other highly sought-after fish such as Pacific mahi mahi.
These highly migratory species are targeted by U.S. commercial and recreational fishermen and by foreign fishing fleets. Because they migrate long distances and live primarily in the open ocean, only a small fraction of the total harvest of these species is taken within U.S. waters.
In the United States, NOAA Fisheries sustainably manages highly migratory species under the Magnuson-Stevens Act in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans:
- Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean)
- West Coast Highly Migratory Species
Responsible management also requires international cooperation through a number of agreements and regional fishery management organizations (or RFMOs) including the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, Commission on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean, and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
Species News
Fishery biologists Tim Cwalinski from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (left) and Brett Fessell from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians (right ) cradle a 140-plus pound female lake sturgeon sampled during spring spawning surveys in the Black River, Cheboygan County. Credit: Grand Traverse Band Restoration Section.
Woodland Dam (Credit: Maine Department of Marine Resources)
North Santiam River. Credit: Jodie Robinson/NOAA
Emily at Tern Lake in Moose Pass, Alaska. Credit: Emily Mailman/NOAA
Multimedia
Excavators on the Chequessett Neck Dike over the Herring River. (Credit: Molly Feltner/NOAA)
River herring migrating up a Cape Cod stream (Photo: Danielle Weissman/NOAA)
Research
Cooperative Research in the Southeast
Cooperative research involves partnerships between the fishing industry and scientists. We work together to improve our understanding of ocean ecosystems and support the management of sustainable and productive fisheries.
Southeast Fishery-Independent Surveys
Our scientists conduct several annual field studies and surveys to collect data on a variety of species and habitats throughout the Southeast region of the United States.
Commercial Fishing Business Cost Survey
Our survey seeks to better understand the costs associated with commercial fishing in the Northeast.
Fisheries Ecology in the Northeast
We study the relationship between marine life and their environment to support sustainable wild and farmed fisheries on the Northeast shelf, creating opportunities and benefits for the economy and ecosystem.
International Collaboration
Fish and other marine animals travel beyond national boundaries.
