Fish & Sharks | NOAA Fisheries

Fish & Sharks | NOAA Fisheries Fish & Sharks Fish are extremely diverse animals living in a variety of habitats ranging from coral reefs and kelp forests to rivers, streams, and the open ocean. Most fish can be categorized into one of two primary groups: bony fish (Osteichthyes) and cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) The skeleton of bony fish is made of bones, while that of cartilaginous fish is made of cartilage. Cartilaginous fish include sharks, skates, and rays. Most fish under NOAA Fisheries’ jurisdiction are marine fish that spend their entire life in salt water. Others are anadromous—like some species of salmon and sturgeon—which begin their lives in freshwater, migrate to the ocean to grow into adults, and then return to freshwater to spawn. NOAA Fisheries is responsible for the sustainable management of many species of fish under the Magnuson-Stevens Act that are targeted for human consumption and other uses like fertilizer. Some of these fish include Pacific bluefin tuna Alaska pollock , and summer flounder . We are also responsible for protecting fish species listed under the Endangered Species Act like Atlantic sturgeon and oceanic whitetip shark More Information Sustainable Fisheries Endangered Species Conservation Essential Fish Habitat Fun Facts About Fascinating Fish Fun Facts About Shocking Sharks Species Directory - Fish and Sharks Listed Under the ESA Species Directory - All Fish and Sharks Species News Feature Story Restoration of Florida’s Robinson Preserve Benefits Fish, Visitors, and Local Economy Southeast Feature Story Celebrating our Top Taggers for Citizen Science Month New England/Mid-Atlantic Southeast Feature Story Record 30,000 Endangered Central California Coast Coho Salmon Return to Mendocino Coast Rivers West Coast Feature Story NOAA Fisheries Halts and Removes Illegal Tuna Imports From United States Southeast More News Multimedia Story Map New StoryMap: Monitoring Reef Fish With Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence Southeast Photo Gallery Woods Hole Science Aquarium in Photos New England/Mid-Atlantic Photo Gallery 2025 Alaska Research Surveys Photo Gallery Alaska Photo Gallery 2024 Field Fresh Blog Photo Gallery New England/Mid-Atlantic All Multimedia Research Flatfish Biology Conference Convened by NOAA Fisheries and first held in 1986, the Flatfish Biology Conference provides researchers with an opportunity to present their findings on all aspects of flatfish research. New England/Mid-Atlantic Surveys in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic We conduct research and monitoring surveys to better understand the physical, biological, economic, and social components of marine ecosystems found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean from the Canadian Scotian Shelf to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. New England/Mid-Atlantic North Pacific Observer Program Training Schedule Observer Training to become a certified North Pacific observer consists of a comprehensive three-week program held in Seattle. The curriculum includes safety while at sea, sampling methodologies, species identification, and data documentation requirements. Please see below for dates, training type, and location information. Alaska Exempted Fishing Permits in Alaska An exempted fishing permit is a permit issued by the Alaska Region to allow fishing activities that would otherwise be prohibited under federal regulations. These permits are issued for limited experimental purposes to support certain projects. Alaska More Research Understanding Fisheries Management in the United States NOAA Fisheries is responsible for managing marine fisheries within the U.S. exclusive economic zone. Learn more about the sustainable management of our marine fisheries. Species 160 species match your filter criteria. Acadian Redfish Adriatic Sturgeon African Coelacanth Alabama Shad Alaska Pollock Almaco Jack American Plaice Argentine Angelshark Arrowtooth Flounder Atlantic Bigeye Tuna Atlantic Blacktip Shark Atlantic Chub Mackerel