Legislation
NOAA Fisheries receives its ocean stewardship responsibilities under many
federal laws, in addition to the Magnuson
Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Most important are
the Endangered Species Act,
which protects species determined to be threatened or endangered; the Marine
Mammal Protection Act, which regulates interactions with marine mammals;
the Lacey
Act, which
prohibits fish or wildlife transactions and activities that violate
state, federal, native American tribal, or foreign laws; the Fish
and Wildlife Coordination Act, which
authorizes NOAA Fisheries to collect fisheries data on environmental
decisions which affect living marine
resources; and the Federal
Power Act, which
allows NOAA Fisheries to minimize effects of dam operations on anadromous
fish, such
as prescribing fish passageways that bypass dams. Many other statutes,
international conventions, and treaties also
guide
NOAA Fisheries activities.
For additional information see the NOAA Office of Legislative Affairs
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