hake, pollock, redfish, and haddock. NMFS funds State research through the 

 Commercial Fisheries and Research Act (PL 88-309) and the Anadromous Fish Act 

 (PL 89-304). It is also responsible for the enforcement of domestic fisheries 

 regulations under the authority of the Conservation and Management Act (PL 94- 

 265). 



Prior to 1 January, 1977, marine resources in the waters outside a 12-mile (19 

 km) boundary (offshore fisheries) were under international control. These 

 fisheries were regulated by joint effort of the nations participating in the 

 International Commission for Northwest Atlantic Fisheries (ICNAF), of which 

 the United States was a member. Regulations included minimum mesh-size in 

 trawls, minimum length of fish caught, restriction of fishing by large 

 trawlers over certain areas, seasonal closures of some areas for certain 

 species, species quotas, total fish quotas, and international inspection 

 schemes (Chenoweth 1977). 



On 1 March, 1977, by act of Congress (Conservation and Management Act, PL 94- 

 265), the United States declared management authority over all marine 

 resources in an area between the 3-mile (5 km) limit of the States' 

 territorial seas and a line 200 miles (320 km) from the territorial seas. In 

 New England waters, the fisheries within the zone are to be regulated by the 

 U.S. Department of Commerce, based upon policies established by the New 

 England Regional Fisheries Management Council. The mechanism for establishing 

 fisheries policy is the Fisheries Management Plan, which describes and 

 analyzes the socioeconomic aspects of the fisheries, assesses the stocks for 

 each major commercial species, determines the optimum yield from the 

 fisheries, and recommends appropriate measures to obtain the optimum yield. 

 The determination of optimum yield takes into account biological, socio- 

 economic, and environmental factors. 



Coordination of management strategies and regulation between the State of 

 Maine and the New England Council will be necessary to effectively manage the 

 stocks of several commercial species. The 3-mile (5 km) limit is a legal and 

 not a physical boundary; fish move freely across it. Allowable catch levels 

 and other regulations established by the State of Maine inside the 3-mile 

 limit or by the Council outside the 3-mile (5 km) limit affect stocks on both 

 sides. Enforcement of regulations on fishery utilization is effective only if 

 coordinated on both sides. Coordination between States is also important. 

 The species for which cooperative effort is most needed are Atlantic herring, 

 silver hake, cod, haddock, yellowtail flounder, and pollock. 



The key organizations involved in the development of fisheries management 

 plans and their major inputs to the planning process are summarized in table 

 11-11. 



RESEARCH NEEDS 



Data on the relative biomass of fishes by habitat (system and class) are 

 lacking. This information is very important in identifying and quantifying 

 energy flows and productivities of different habitats by region and season. 



11-46 



