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16 D.S.C. 1851 



TITLE III — NATIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 



SEC. 301. NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR FISHERY CONSERVATION AND 

 MANAGEMENT 



(a) IN GENERAL. — Any fishery management plan prepared, and 

 any regulation promulgated to implement any such plan, pursuant to 

 this title shall be consistent with the following national 

 standards for fishery conservation and management: 



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( l)Conservation and management measures shall prevent 

 overfishing while achieving, on a continuing basis, the optimum 

 yield from each fishery for the United States fishing industiy. 



(2)Conservation and management measures shall be based upon 

 the best scientific information available. 



(3)To the extent practicable, an individual stock of fish 

 shall be managed as a unit throughout its range, and interrelated 

 stocks of fish shall be managed as a unit or in close coordination. 



( 4 ) Conservation and management measures shall not discriminate 

 between residents of different States. If it becomes necessary to 

 allocate or assign fishing privileges among various United States 

 fishermen, such allocation shall be (A) fair and equitable to all 

 such fishermen; (B) reasonably calculated to promote conservation; 

 and (C) carried out in such manner that no particular individual, 

 corporation, or other entity acquires an excessive share of such 

 privileges . 



( 5 ) Conservation and management measures shall, where 

 practiccible, promote efficiency in the utilization of fishery 

 resources; except that no such measure shall have economic 

 allocation as its sole purpose. 



( 6 ) Conservation and management measures shall take into 

 account and allow for variations among, and contingencies in, 

 fisheries, fishery resources, and catches. 



( 7 ) Conservation and management measures shall, where 

 practicable, minimize costs and avoid unnecessary duplication. 



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(B) GUIDELINES. — The Secretary shall establish advisory 

 guidelines (which shall not have the force eind effect of law) , 

 based on the national standards, to assist in the development or 

 fishery management plans . 



