Officials: 40 fish populations are overfished

PORTLAND, Maine -- Federal officials say 40 stocks of fish populations are subject to overfishing in U.S. waters but that progress is being made to rebuild them.

An annual report on U.S. fisheries from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the number of overfished populations at the end of 2010 was up by two from 2009. But officials said Thursday that key stocks have been rebuilt and that the country is "turning a corner" in rebuilding fish populations.

Some stocks subject to overfishing include cod in the Northeast, red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico and Pacific bluefin tuna off the West Coast. Overall, about 16 percent of all fish stocks were subject to overfishing.

NOAA fisheries chief Eric Schwaab says 21 stocks of commercial fish populations have been rebuilt since 2000.