A new peer-reviewed study has found that financial strain in commercial fishing is a significant driver of distrust toward fisheries managers, and NOAA Fisheries says it's actively working to reverse that trend through expanded industry partnerships.
Scientists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center analyzed open-ended survey comments collected from commercial fishing vessel owners between 2006 and 2022 and published their findings in Fisheries Management and Ecology. The data came from NOAA's commercial fishing business cost survey, an instrument the agency uses to gather this type of economic information from federally permitted vessel owners fishing waters from Maine to North Carolina.
Researchers found that harvesters consistently reported feeling squeezed by high operating costs and insufficient quota or days-at-sea allocations, and that those financial frustrations translated into broader dissatisfaction with NOAA and its management of fish stocks.
"Our cost survey is the primary source of economic data collected from commercial fishing vessel owners in our region. These data are essential for assessing how fishing fleets are doing economically," said Elizabeth Conley, lead author of the study. "It's critical that we connect with industry so we can learn about their business practices and better understand the socioeconomic landscape of fisheries in our region."
In many cases, the researchers found that fishermen's perceptions of low or no profit were borne out by the survey's quantitative data, which showed decreased profitability over time.
The findings carry broader implications for fisheries management, where trust between regulators and industry is considered essential to achieving shared goals. Although the Magnuson-Stevens Act requires the use of socioeconomic data alongside biological and environmental factors in management decisions, such data have historically been harder to come by.
"Trust plays an essential role in fisheries management. The decision-making process involves a lot of uncertainty due to imperfect data and information, making it heavily dependent on trust that different stakeholders share similar goals," said Tarsila Seara, chief of the agency's Social Sciences Branch. "Industry needs to trust that sharing information is useful and beneficial. Ultimately, managing a complex fishery system requires meaningful collaboration, which is only possible through mutual trust."
In response, the Northeast Fisheries Science Center has been rolling out a range of programs aimed at increasing industry participation in fisheries science.
The Squid Squad brings together federal, state, and academic scientists alongside industry members and managers to discuss real-time oceanographic data and recent fishing activity. One project spawned by the group is a study examining the ocean conditions driving shortfin squid movements and migration — a question that originated from the fishing industry itself.
The Northeast Cooperative Research Summit, held annually, is designed to build partnerships between fishing and science communities through collaborative exercises, shared research priority discussions, and showcasing ongoing cooperative research initiatives.
"Providing a venue for fishermen to share observations and ideas is an essential step in the process of building a shared understanding of fisheries resources. Partnership starts with conversation, and builds into high-impact science," said Anna Mercer, chief of the Cooperative Research Branch.
NOAA's Study Fleet Program, now in its 20th year, partners with nearly 50 fishermen to collect detailed data on catch, fishing effort, and environmental conditions. That data feeds into stock assessments and helps researchers map where and how fishing occurs across the region.
Meanwhile, the Environmental Monitors on Lobster Traps and Large Trawlers program last year saw nearly 150 fishing vessels equipped with oceanographic sensors collecting bottom water temperature data across the Northeast Continental Shelf, information that feeds directly into regional ocean forecast models.
"Ocean forecasts are valuable to fishermen who use them to tune their search windows for different species. Mariners also use them to plan vessel routes, and the U.S. Coast Guard uses them to plan search and rescue operations," said program coordinator George Maynard.
The science center is also creating more formal input channels, including a March 2026 stock assessment webinar where industry members and outside experts were invited to share on-the-water observations, flag new data sources, and identify emerging issues ahead of the 2027 Management Track assessments. Fishermen's field observations are also being incorporated into NOAA's annual State of the Ecosystem reports, which are presented to both the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils.
"We're continuing to emphasize partnerships," said Jon Hare, director of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center. "Our goal is to build our cooperative research and survey programs and engagements with the fishing industry to improve science and build trust."
