NOAA Research, in cooperation with its research partners, provides scientific results to help understand and manage our nation's ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes fisheries resources. Many of these resources are in need of rebuilding following years of excessive harvesting and the degradation of their environments from both natural and human-induced causes. Commercial fishing activities contribute over $28 billion a year to our economy, and over 17 million Americans spend about $25 billion a year on recreational marine fishing activities. It is, therefore, vitally important that science-based measures are implemented to protect, restore, and manage these valuable resources. This corresponds directly to NOAA's Mission Goal 1: Protect, restore, and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management.