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
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.
