The Law That's Saving American Fisheries - Ocean Conservancy

Foreword
Implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery
Conservation and Management Act has come a long way since
the law was first enacted in 1976 to secure viable fisheries
and healthy oceans. Initially, provisions to “Americanize” our
fisheries through government subsidies and other programs
worked well—too well, actually—so that by the late 1980s,
some of our iconic fisheries, among them New England cod
and Gulf of Mexico red snapper, were severely overexploited.
To address these problems, fishermen, environmental groups,
congressional leaders, and others came together to improve
the law, resulting in what is now one of the best fisheries
management systems in the world in terms of profitability
and sustainability.
I was fortunate to be part of this process during my seven
years as director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s Fisheries Service. I consider the 2006
reforms, which resulted in requirements for science-based
catch limits to restore and maintain fish populations at
healthy levels, to be one of the crown jewels of our fishery
management system.
What follows are the stories of fishermen who have helped
to shape the law into what it is today through direct engagement
in the policy process, on-the-water ingenuity, and
entrepreneurial spirit. They talk about their hard work and
foresight as well as the economic benefits that are beginning
to accrue as we turn a corner on our decades-long battle
against overfishing.
As we reexamine the law and look forward to the next reauthorization,
I encourage you to consider the hard-won gains
described in this report—progress based on learning from the
past, listening to the science, and putting the sustainability
of the resource at the forefront. Ensuring the long-term
productivity of our fisheries requires us to protect these gains
while continuing to promote new and innovative solutions
to the problems that our oceans face from myriad stressors,
including increasing atmospheric carbon and temperature.
For the benefit of the nation, we must therefore continue to
evolve U.S. fisheries policy, invest in science and technology,
and strengthen cooperative research programs to meet
the challenges that lie ahead. Doing so will ensure that we
can continue to boast one of the best fishery management
systems in the world.
Bill Hogarth
Director, Florida Institute of Oceanography
Former director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration’s Fisheries Service
The Law That’s Saving American Fisheries: The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act 3