1998 Year of the Ocean 



Ocean Living Resources 



Act in 1976 was the first comprehensive federal legislation to address this subject. It was as 

 much focused on fishery development as conservation, but at the time, was considered 

 revolutionary in its scope and vision. 



The period from 1885 to 1950 was one of developing marine fisheries and slowly 

 increasing research in fisheries both in the United States and abroad. Marine fishing regulations 

 were very few. Catches continued to increase, particularly after World War II, through the 

 application of newer technology and bigger and faster boats. In the 1970s and 1980s, fleets 

 expanded at twice the rate of catches, which peaked in 1989, leveled off for a few years, then 

 climbed again as a result of large catches of low-value pelagic species (FAG 1997; Figure 3). 



Fig. 3. Human Population and Global Fish Production 



1958-1995 



120 



100 



in 



c 



B 

 o 



(0 



c 

 o 



M 



il 



Note: Production includes aquaculture and fisheries both for human consumption 

 and for livestock feed. Source: FAO 1996 



In the early 1970s, a public constituency developed for the protection of whales, seals, 

 and dolphins. It exerted tremendous influence on the United States and governments around the 

 world to halt commercial exploitation of these marine animals. The U.S. Congress enacted the 

 Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the same era as it addressed 

 issues of clean water and clean air. During this era of environmentalism. Congress also enacted 

 the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. By the mid-1980s, laws and 

 regulations governing marine mammals had been revisited and made more stringent, but the 

 emphasis in fisheries was still in the development mode. This included federal financial 

 assistance to encourage and promote new fisheries and greater fishing power. 



C-16 



