U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy - Joint Ocean Commission Initiative

Recommendation 19–27The National Ocean Council (NOC) should initiate a discussion on effective internationalimplementation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s Code of Conductfor Responsible Fisheries and other Plans of Action.In particular, the NOC’s international committee should suggest methods to encouragenations to:• join relevant regional fishery management organizations.• implement and enforce regional agreements to which they are bound.• collect and report the data necessary to manage fish stocks sustainably and to reducefishery impacts on habitats and protected species.• reduce or eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by ships flying their flag.• reduce fishing fleet capacity, particularly on the high seas.• reduce bycatch of non-targeted species, in particular endangered populations such as seaturtles and marine mammals, via the use of innovative gear and management methodssuch as onboard observer programs.Chapter 20: Protecting Marine Mammals and Endangered Marine SpeciesRecommendation 20–1Congress should amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to require the Marine Mammal<strong>Commission</strong> to coordinate with all the relevant federal agencies through the National OceanCouncil (NOC), while remaining independent. The NOC should determine whether there is aneed for similar oversight bodies for other marine animals whose populations are at risk,such as sea turtles.Recommendation 20–2Congress should amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to place the protection of all marinemammals within the jurisdiction of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Recommendation 20–3The National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with guidance fromthe National Ocean Council, should significantly improve their coordination with respect tothe implementation of the Endangered Species Act, particularly for anadromous species andsea turtles, and in circumstances where land-based activities have significant impacts onmarine species.Recommendation 20–4The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationshould expand their cooperative agreements with states under Section 6 of the ESA, includingenhanced research, management, monitoring, and public information.Recommendation 20–5Congress should amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to require the National Oceanicand Atmospheric Administration to more clearly specify categories of activities that areallowed without authorization, those that require authorization, and those that are prohibited.Recommendation 20–6Congress should amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to revise the definition of harassmentto cover only activities that meaningfully disrupt behaviors that are significant to thesurvival and reproduction of marine mammals.508 A N O CEAN B LUEPRINT FOR THE 21ST C ENTURY