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government's management of species which cross into the Exclusive 

 Economic Zone (EEZ) have lead to a cumulative gross overharvest 

 of fish stocks. Furthermore, attempts to coordinate management 

 programs have, except under extremely rare circumstances, been 

 largely unsuccessful at rehabilitating stocks. Although the 

 Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) was formed 

 through a joint compact between the states more than fifty years 

 ago to improve management of migratory species, stocks continue 

 to decline. The failure of states to fully implement the 

 measures of fishery management plans developed through the ASMFC 

 process has resulted in most states only implementing plans that 

 had minor impact on their resident fishermen, consequently 

 providing little conservation benefits. The ASMFC has adopted 17 

 fishery management plans, covering more than 20 species, yet to 

 date only three of these plans have been fully implemented by the 

 states. One of these plans, the Striped Bass Plan, was only 

 implemented only after the the leadership in conservation that 

 was provided by this committee. 



The Sport Fishing Institute supports the state management of 

 fisheries and fish stocks which are found within the 

 jurisdictional waters of the states. However, migratory fish 

 stocks which pass through several jurisdictions during their 

 lifetime must be collectively managed in order to coordinate 

 management objectives. Discrete stocks of fish must be managed 

 as a unit throughout their range and life cycle and management 

 plans must be based on total mortality rates rather than simply 

 on landing statistics. It is imperative that all management 

 authorities agree and adhere to management measures outlined in 

 coordinated plans. As is the case with weakfish restoration, 

 reluctance by even a single jurisdiction to abide by common 

 management strategies could cause management programs to fail 

 across the entire range of the affected fish stock. Therefore, a 

 mechanism which provides the states with enforceability must be 

 implemented. Such a mechanism is successfully embodied in the 

 Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act, which provides for a 

 federal role in conservation in those states which are unwilling 

 to enact necessary conservation measures. 



There is ample precedence for federal involvement in 

 facilitating coordinated management programs of living natural 

 resources which transcend state boundaries. Atlantic coastal 

 fisheries are no different. The North Atlantic Salmon 

 Conservation Organization (NASCO) , which coordinates the 

 rehabilitation of Atlantic salmon populations between governments 

 throughout their range, is one such case that has developed a 

 management process for a species throughout its range. Another 

 well known case is the federal government's role in waterfowl 

 management. Under the direction of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service, the migratory waterfowl treaties with Canada guide 

 management of shared populations of waterfowl, and set overall 

 management and harvest goals to which states must adhere. 



The draft Atlantic coast fishery management legislation, 

 while providing for federal intervention in extreme cases. 



