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This page last updated:
July 14, 2008

Environmental Compliance

FCMA

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act

The Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Act) of 1976 (16 U.S.C. 1801 et seq.) established:

bulletA fishery conservation zone between the territorial seas of the US and 200 nautical miles offshore

bulletAn exclusive US fishery management authority over fish within the fishery conservation zone (excluding highly migratory species)

bulletRegulations for foreign fishing within the fishery conservation zone through international fishery agreements, permits and import prohibitions

bulletNational standards for fishery conservation and management and eight regional fishery management councils to apply those national standards in fishery management plans. 

Congress enacted the 1996 amendments to the Act, known as the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA) (P.L. 104-297 pdficons.gif (155 bytes)), to address the substantially reduced fish stocks that declined as a result of direct and indirect habitat loss.  The now amended Act was renamed the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (FCMA). 

For more information, contact Jill Lewandowski.

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