Pacific Sardine

About the Species

Commercial fishing for Pacific sardines is prohibited because the population is estimated to be below a precautionary level set by managers.

Below a precautionary population level set by managers due to environmentally-influenced boom-bust cycles.

The fishery is closed because the population is estimated to be below a precautionary level set by managers.

The gear used to catch Pacific sardines is used at the surface and has little impact on habitat.

Bycatch is low because gear used is selective.

According to the 2017 stock assessment, Pacific sardine are not overfished.
Pacific sardine are not subject to overfishing.
The population size varies naturally, which can lead to large fluctuations (boom-bust cycles) in abundance and catch.
A precautionary measure is built into sardine management to stop directed fishing when the population falls below 150,000 metric tons. The latest population estimate is below that level, and managers have closed the fishery.

Pacific sardines are small.
They are blue-green on the back and have white flanks with one to three sets of dark spots along the middle.

NOAA Fisheries and the Pacific Fishery Management Council manage the Pacific sardine fishery.
Managed under the Coastal Pelagic Species Fishery Management Plan:
- Catch limits are in place to prevent overfishing.
- Catch limit is allocated among three fishing seasons throughout the year.
- Permits are needed to harvest Pacific sardines.
- Gear restrictions are in place to reduce bycatch.
- Catch is monitored through logbooks and observers.