State- Federal Fisheries
Regulatory Activities
Most marine fishery regulations implemented in United States Federal waters (referred to as the exclusive economic zone, or EEZ, and generally from 3 to 200 nautical miles from shore), are developed under the authority of the Magnuson-Steven Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (MSA), in conjunction with the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils, or by the Highly Migratory Species Division (within the Office of Sustainable Fisheries (OSF)). However, the State-Federal Fisheries Division also develops EEZ regulations for species managed by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (Commission) and its 15 Atlantic Coast member states, under the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act (ASBCA) and the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (ACA).
Federal regulations developed under the ACA and ASBCA and implemented in the EEZ are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at Title 50 CFR Part 697-ATLANTIC COASTAL FISHERIES COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT. Part 697 is divided into two subparts. Subpart A, General Provisions, includes a section called "prohibitions" at Part 697.7 (hereafter referred to as regulations), which contains descriptions of specific regulations for each fishery. Subpart B, Management Measures, includes further explanation of how a regulation is to be followed.
Current EEZ Regulations under ACA and ASBCA
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service has found that existing regulations prohibiting the harvest and sale of red drum and striped bass in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) satisfy the requirements of the President's October 20, 2007 Executive Order (E.O.13449) which called for the protection of striped bass and red drum fish populations. Please see the October 17 Federal Register notice for more details.
A complete electronic copy of Part 697 may be accessed at the GPO Access e-CFR website. Actual Prohibitions only can be found at part 697.7.
