4. What contribution do forage fish make to U.S. fisheries?

In U.S. waters, six of the top 10 fisheries by weight target forage fish species. Forage fish fisheries are the largest on every coast and account for more than 70% of recent U.S. landings of finfish. Along the east coast and Gulf of Mexico, catches of herring and menhaden dominate landings. Along the west coast, landings of Pacific hake (whiting), sardine, and market squid overwhelm all others.

The gigantic Alaska pollock fishery accounts for nearly three-quarters of Alaska's groundfish catch annually and is the nation's largest, hauling up more than 3 billion pounds of fish per year � nearly 40 percent of the total U.S. catch of fish.