Have the herring fisheries recovered fromm Valdez spill?

No, the herring fisheries in Prince William Sound have not recovered from the massive oil spill that occurred in 1989 due to the vessel Exxon Valdez. The oil spill caused immense damage to the ecosystem and the Pacific herring population, which serves as a critical food source for various species, has been severely impacted.

The spill affected several major spawning areas of Pacific herring in the Prince William Sound, leading to a decline in the population and subsequent loss of recruitment to sustainable levels. The herring fisheries in the region have been unable to recover, and herring populations remain below historic levels.

Despite significant remediation efforts and natural recovery processes, the ecological impacts of the spill continue to hinder the recovery of the herring fisheries. The complex interactions within the ecosystem, including the dependence of other species on herring as prey, have been disrupted, resulting in a persistent challenge to restoring the fisheries to their former productivity.