PORTLAND, Maine (AP) The federal government is cutting back the East Coast herring fishery by millions of pounds because of concerns about the status of the important little fish’s population.

Herring fishing is a major industry in New England and the mid-Atlantic states, where the schooling fish are harvested for use as bait, food, fish oil and other products. But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says a recent assessment shows the fish’s stock is in decline.

The NOAA announced on Wednesday that the herring catch limit would be cut back about by more than 8 million pounds, effective immediately. The cut represents about a 7 percent reduction to the total quota. The agency says herring catch has been declining since 2013 and this year’s catch again appears lower than previous years.