Catch Shares System Revives U.S. Fisheries, Boosts Profits

In a remarkable turnaround, U.S. fisheries have recovered from the brink of collapse thanks to an unlikely alliance between commercial fishermen and environmental activists. As of November 2025, more than 50 U.S. fish stocks have bounced back or are on track to do so, with three times more red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico than in 2009 and a dramatic increase in adult yellowtail flounder off Cape Cod.

The key to this transformation has been the implementation of a "catch shares" system, which has provided fishermen with an economic incentive to be conservationists. By allowing them to catch as much as they want on any given day while reducing their overall seasonal catch, the system has enabled fishermen to make fewer trips, dramatically cutting fuel costs. U.S. commercial fishing jobs have grown 38% between 2011 and 2022 as a result.

Buddy Guindon, a commercial fisherman in the Gulf of Mexico, was initially skeptical of the catch shares system but has since become an evangelist for it, citing an 80% reduction in costs and a 100% increase in profits. The recovery of U.S. fisheries has also led to a glut of American seafood, prompting calls for consumers and the restaurant industry to "Buy American" and support sustainable, locally sourced seafood.