Fed plan to rebuild Pacific sardine population was insufficient, California judge finds

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — A judge says a plan by federal agencies to rebuild the sardine population in the Pacific was not properly implemented and failed to prevent overfishing. Monday’s decision was a victory for environmentalists who said officials did not ensure sardine stocks would bounce back within a legally required timeframe. The nonprofit Oceana sued the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2021, claiming that Pacific sardines collapsed by more than 98% between 2006 and 2020. The Fisheries Service must develop a plan that supports rebuilding and sets caps on fishing.  The agency said it doesn’t comment on litigation.