An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century - California Ocean ...

NOAA Photo LibraryEnforcement PartnershipsNew partnerships and enhanced cooperation arebasic elements of the Coast Guard and NMFS fisheryenforcement strategic plans. Cooperative enforcementagreements among federal, state, tribal, interstate, andinternational organizations will be essential as ecosystem-basedor area-based management becomes moreprevalent and the Coast Guard assumes additionalhomeland security responsibilities.Cooperative Enforcement ProgramsOne of the most successful existing partnershipprograms is the Cooperative Enforcement Programbetween NMFS and state agencies. In this program,state enforcement officers are deputized to enforcestate and federal fishery management plans for commercialand recreational fisheries. Through JointEnforcement Agreements (JEAs), NMFS providesfederal funds for state involvement which are thenmatched by the states, providing an opportunity toenlarge the overall pool of enforcement resources.JEAs have also led to significant progress in creatinguniform enforcement databases, identifying regional and local fishery enforcement priorities,and extending coordination to other areas, such as investigations.Twenty-three coastal states and territories have entered into JEA partnerships withNMFS. From 1998 to 2000, following implementation of the JEA with South Carolina,state patrol officers logged over 1,095 hours conducting federal enforcement from theedge of state waters to 70 nautical miles offshore. Their patrols uncovered 172 cases offisheries violations in the EEZ or on vessels returning from the EEZ, as well as manyadditional cases of boating safety and permit violations. 17 JEAs are particularly effectivebecause state agents are familiar with local waters, know when and where enforcementinfractions are likely to occur, and provide opportunities for significant public outreachand education.Although not currently a signatory to these cooperative NMFS–state agreements,Coast Guard participation would be valuable, particularly during the development ofenforcement plans and priorities, and would help assure commitment of Coast Guardresources to joint enforcement efforts.Despite the JEA program’s advantages in leveraging resources and enhancing cooperation,its federal funding was reduced from approximately $15 million in fiscal year 2001 to$7 million in the fiscal year 2002 and 2003 budgets. The reduced federal funding led tosmaller state matching appropriations and, ultimately, a reduction in enforcement personnel.An officer measures the opening of a Turtle Excluder Device toensure that it meets federal guidelines. Dockside inspections likethis help ensure compliance with a variety of fishery regulations.Recommendation 19–17The National Marine Fisheries Service should expand its use of Joint Enforcement Agreementsto implement cooperative fisheries enforcement programs with state agencies. The U.S. CoastGuard should also be included as an important participant in such agreements.Cooperative Federal EnforcementThere are also significant opportunities to strengthen cooperation at the federal levelbetween NMFS and the Coast Guard. Currently, each agency has its own strategic plan,goals, and objectives for enforcement of federal fishery laws. At the regional and local292 A N O CEAN B LUEPRINT FOR THE 21ST C ENTURY