The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries
Commission was formed by the fifteen Atlantic coast states (Maine
through Florida, including Pennsylvania) in 1942 to assist in
managing and conserving their shared coastal fishery resources.
The states have found that their mutual interest in sustaining
healthy coastal fishery resources is best achieved by working
cooperatively and collaboratively with the federal government.
Through this approach, the states uphold their collective fisheries
management responsibilities in a cost-effective, timely, and responsive
fashion.
Each of the fifteen states is represented
on the Commission by three Commissioners, including the director
for the state's marine fisheries management agency, a state legislator,
and an individual representing fishery interests, appointed by
the state governor. These Commissioners participate in deliberations
in the Commission's five main policy arenas: interstate fisheries
management; research and statistics; habitat conservation; sport
fish restoration; and law enforcement.
Interstate Fisheries Management
Program
The Commission's Interstate Fisheries
Management Program (ISFMP) promotes the cooperative management
of marine, estuarine and anadromous fisheries in state waters
of the east coast through the development of interstate fishery
management plans. The major components of the program are to:
(1) determine priorities for the management of fisheries in state
waters; (2) develop, monitor and review fishery management plans
for high priority fisheries; (3) recommend to states, regional
fishery management councils and the federal government management
measures to benefit such fisheries; and (4) provide a means of
conducting short-term research essential to preparation or revision
of fishery management plans.
The program, based on the State/Federal
Fisheries Management Program of the 1970s, was initiated through
a cooperative agreement with the National Marine Fisheries Service
in 1980. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service became a partner in
1987. In December 1993, the actions of the ISFMP were expanded
further with the passage of the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries
Cooperative Management Act, which provides a mechanism to
ensure state compliance with mandated conservation measures in
the 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 member
states that have a declared interest in a fishery, must comply
with certain conservation provisions of the plan, or the Secretary
of Commerce may impose a moratorium in that state's waters for
the harvest of the species in question.
The ISFMP operates under the direction
of the ISFMP Policy Board and species management boards. The ISFMP
Policy Board is comprised of one Commissioner from each of the
fifteen member states and representatives from the District of
Columbia, the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, the National
Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Policy board oversees the program and meets at least bi-annually
to establish and monitor the direction of the program. The species
management boards consider and approve the development and implementation
of fishery management plans, including the integration of scientific
information, proposed management measures, and considerations
for habitat conservation and the management of protected species/fishery
interactions. The ISFMP Policy Board is also responsible for ensuring
that adequate opportunity for public input is provided during
the plan development or amendment process.
The species managed under this program
are: American lobster, American Shad and River Herring, Atlantic
croaker, Atlantic herring, Atlantic menhaden, Atlantic sturgeon,
bluefish, northern shrimp, red drum, scup, Spanish mackerel, spot,
spotted seatrout, striped bass, summer flounder, tautog, weakfish,
and winter flounder. Fishery management plans currently under
development include American eel and black sea bass.
Public Participation
The public plays an important role
in the Commission's fisheries management planning process, from
advisory panel input to general public information meetings and
hearings. The Commission's advisory panels are comprised of representatives
from the commercial, charterboat, and recreational fishing industries,
as well as conservation interests, from coastal states participating
in the management of a given species. The role of the advisors
is to provide input throughout the fishery management planning
process. The advisory panel process arose in part as a result
of the Commission's increasing responsibilities under the Atlantic
Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, which mandates that
the Commission provide adequate public participation in its fishery
management planning process, including holding at least four public
hearings and procedures for submission of written comments to
the Commission.
The waters for public participation
were first tested in 1994 with the development of the Atlantic
Striped Bass Advisory Panel and the initiation of public hearings
for Addendum VI and Amendment 5 to the Atlantic Striped Bass Fishery
Management Plan. Since that time, Advisory Panels have been developed
to work with the American Lobster, American Shad & River Herring,
Bluefish, Atlantic Croaker, Scup & Black Sea Bass, Tautog,
Weakfish, and Winter Flounder Management Boards, and the Atlantic
Herring and Northern Shrimp Sections. Currently, Advisory Panels
for American eel and Atlantic sturgeon are in the process of being
developed.
Additionally, the Commission has established
an Advisory Committee, comprised of the chairs of the various
species advisory panels, in order to provide general input on
issues, including fisheries management and habitat conservation.
Research & Statistics
The overall process of fisheries management
relies heavily on scientific research and data collection activities
for providing accurate and timely information to managers in support
of effective federal, state, and interjurisdictional fisheries
management. The Commission's Research and Statistics Program works
to ensure that the best scientific information -- biological,
social and economic -- is incorporated into the Commission's fishery
management plans. The Management and Science Committee is the
scientific advisory body for the Commission and provides information
and advice on broad scientific issues, including aquaculture and
stocking activities, fish health advisories, metadata information,
and protected species.
The Commission has coordinated commercial
and recreational fisheries data collection programs for several
years. The Commission also plays an active role in the development
and implementation of the Atlantic Coastal Cooperative Statistics
Program (ACCSP). Program partners, including federal and state
fisheries agencies, will initially focus efforts on coordination
of fishery-dependent data collection activities, such as catch,
landings, effort and participation. The ACCSP aims to decrease
the burden on fishermen while increasing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness
of existing data collection efforts. In addition, the Commission
is currently working with the National Marine Fisheries Service
to develop a cooperative program for the collection of biological
data from commercial fisheries in the Northeast Region.
The Commission also supports several
fishery-independent programs, which provide important information
in determining year-to-year trends in fish abundance. In particular,
the Commission coordinates the Southeast Area Monitoring and
Assessment Program (SEAMAP) for the South Atlantic region,
and assists the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in coordinating
the Striped Bass Coded Wire Tagging Program. Plans for future
program activities include: coordinating an Atlantic coast tagging
program to expand the current striped bass tagging program; developing
a stock assessment evaluation and training program to provide
hands-on training to state fishery management personnel in the
use of stock assessment techniques; and evaluating the potential
for expanding the SEAMAP, or similar program, to the Mid-Atlantic
and New England regions.
Habitat Conservation
An important objective for the Commission is the
conservation and improvement of marine fish habitat. Healthy fish
habitat is vital to healthy fish stocks. The Commission's approach
is twofold, including both policy development and education. Since
member state fishery management agencies usually do not have regulatory
authority over fish habitat, it is important to communicate fish
habitat needs to the relevant agencies. Habitat policy development
has focused on ensuring habitat information and needs are clearly
outlined in Commission fishery management plans, and disseminated
to the agencies with regulatory authority for habitat. The education
portion of the Commission's Habitat Program complements these
efforts by also providing this information to fishermen and the
general public, along with advice about what individuals can do
to protect fish habitat. Habitat Hotline Atlantic, a newsletter
covering marine fish habitat issues, is published bimonthly.
Sport Fish Restoration
The Commission's Sport Fish Restoration
Program is aimed at improving fishery conservation and wise utilization
of critical sport fisheries resources of the Atlantic. Through
this program, the Commission acts as a liaison between state and
federal agencies and non-governmental organizations to promote
interstate and state/federal cooperation on marine recreational
fisheries programs. These activities are coordinated through the
Commission's Sport Fish Restoration Committee to assure compatibility
with, and integration into other programs of the Commission. Technical
advice is provided to the Sport Fish Restoration Committee by
the Artificial Reef Technical Committees and relevant ad hoc committees
as needed. Through this arrangement, the Sport Fish Restoration
Committee provides guidance to the Commission on a broad array
of policy issues on a local, regional and coastwide levels.
Law Enforcement
The Commission's Law Enforcement Program
assists the states in coordinating their law enforcement efforts
through data exchange and problem identification. The program
is carried out by the Law Enforcement Committee, which is comprised
of law enforcement representatives from each Atlantic coastal
state, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the National Marine
Fisheries Service and the U. S. Coast Guard. The Committee provides
information on law enforcement issues, brings resolution addressing
enforcement concerns before the Commission, coordinates enforcement
efforts among states, and monitors the enforcement of measures
incorporated into the Commission's interstate fisheries management
plans.
For more information about the Commission
and its programs, please contact us at: