The
Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic
Coastal Fisheries Act) was signed into law in December 1993.
It presents a new and innovative approach to coordinated management
of coastal migratory fisheries along the U.S. Atlantic coast.
The cooperative management process the law establishes involves
the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission),
the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. The Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Act builds upon the success
achieved by the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act, which
was instrumental in the recovery of Atlantic coastal striped
bass stocks.The Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Act provides a mechanism
to ensure Atlantic coastal state compliance with mandated conservation
measures in Commission-approved fishery management plans.
Prior
to the passage of this Act, state implementation of a Commission
fishery management plan was voluntary, with the exception of
the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic Striped Bass. Today,
all Atlantic coast states that are included in a Commission fishery
management plan must comply with certain conservation provisions
of the plan or the Secretary of Commerce may impose a moratorium
in that state's waters for harvesting the species in question.
Who
is Involved?
Atlantic
States Marine Fisheries Commission
The
Commission was formed by the fifteen Atlantic coast states more
than fifty years ago to assist in managing and conserving their
shared coastal fishery resources. With the recognition that fish
do not adhere to political boundaries, the states formed an Interstate
Compact, which was approved bythe U.S. Congress and signed by
the President in 1942. The states have found that their mutual
interest in sustaining healthy coastal fishery resources is best
achieved by working together cooperatively, in collaboration
with the federal government. Through this approach, the states
uphold their collective fisheries management responsibilities
in a cost-effective, timely and responsive fashion.
