Oregon Public Broadcasting

The environmental nonprofit Oceana is suing federal fishery managers over a new rule that aims to prevent overfishing of Pacific sardine, mackerel and anchovy off the West Coast.

The group argues the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration isn't looking at how many of the small -- or "forage" -- fish are needed to maintain a healthy ocean ecosystem.  One key role of the small fish is to give bigger fish something to eat.

Ben Enticknap is the Pacific projects manager for Oceana. He said the law requires federal fishery managers to look at the effect of fishing on the entire ocean ecosystem.  And he says the rule approved last month didn't do that.

"Although our national laws call for protection of the ecosystem, in this case the agency chose to ignore those laws," Enticknap says.

Oceana is asking a federal court in San Francisco to throw out the new rule and require the government to do a new environmental analysis of forage fisheries.

Kerry Griffin manages several forage fish species for NOAA. He said the government has taken a conservative approach to setting catch limits on small fish but also has to consider the economic needs of coastal communities.