and Agriculture Act of 1977 '* designated the De- 
partment of Agriculture as the lead agency for the 
development of aquaculture, which was_ iden- 
tified as primarily a farming rather than a fishing 
activity. The Department of Agriculture plans to 
develop the scientific, technological, and marketing 
base for the culture of freshwater species such as 
catfish and trout, among others. 
In recent years, the development of more exten- 
sive ecological baseline information in offshore areas 
where Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas 
operations are to take place has created another 
source of. information on factors affecting fishing. 
In some areas, assessments of the impact on fish- 
eries from OCS operations have been a primary 
focus of offshore investigations by the Bureau of 
Land Management of the Interior Department. (See 
chapter VI.) 
Several Federal advisory bodies have varying de- 
grees of input into fishery research, management, and 
development efforts. The group whose activities are 
entirely devoted to fishery affairs is the Marine Fish- 
eries Advisory Committee. The Secretary of Com- 
merce established this group in 1971 to advise the 
Secretary on the Department’s fishery responsibilities 
and the effectiveness of their programs. In the past, 
it has shown interest in developing a National Fish- 
eries Plan and in the revitalization of the domestic 
commercial fishing industry. 
The Congress established the National Advisory 
Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere (NACOA) 
in 1971. The group, whose members are Presiden- 
tially appointed, was responsible for recommending 
the development of a national marine fishery plan 
and for reviewing the Government’s marine and 
ocean programs, including fisheries. 
Another advisory group that indirectly influences 
fishery policy is the Marine Mammal Commission. 
The Presidentially appointed three-person Commis- 
sion was established by Title II of the Marine Mam- 
mal Protection Act of 1972 to study marine mammal 
issues and make recommendations. 
Another advisory group with a role in marine 
fishery affairs is the National Academy of Sciences 
and Engineering. This body studies and analyzes 
a broad range of marine issues. Its reports are of a 
technical nature, but also cover related socioeco- 
nomic issues. 
Fishery Management and Conservation 
The Fishery. Conservation _and Management Act 
of 1976 established for the first time a comprehen- 
sive program to manage fisheries in _the U.S. fishery 
conservation zone, which extends from m 3 to 200 
nautical miles. The Act authorizes institutions, | pro- 
cedures, and p1 programs designed to manage and con- 
serve U.S. fishery resources. The Act attempts to 
assure that fish are harvested responsibly in accord- 
ance with regionally developed plans based on the 
available scientific information and meeting specified 
national standards. The Act is administered by the 
Secretary of Commerce, who provides funding and 
guidance to cight—Regional Fishery Management 
Councils established by the Act and approves and 
implements fishery management plans prepared by 
the Councils. 
Execution of management and conservation regu- 
lations_in the fishery conservation zone (3 to 200 
nautical miles) is the responsibility of the U.S. Coast 
Guard and National Marine Fisheries Service. ‘The 
Department of of Justice provides legal support for 
the_enforcement program, prosecutes violators, and 
represents the United States in civil actions against 
seized fishing vessels. Because of international im- 
plications in regulating foreign fishing activity off 
U.S. shores, a Elose liaison between the e Regiona al 
Councils f State is necessary. 
oastal tinue to maintain nearly full 
authority over the 3-mile territorial sea. The estab- 
“7 US‘. 1281. 
lishment of the Regional Councils did not preempt 
the existing mechanisms by which Federal, State, 
and local governments attempt to manage coastal re- 
gion fisheries in the territorial sea. Such manage- 
ment is assisted by the State-Federal fishery manage- 
ment programs, set up by NMFS in 1971. Individ- 
ual States make sure that the activities out from the 
coast to 3 miles and the Fishery Conservation Zone, 
which extends from the territorial boundary out to 
200 nautical miles, are consistent with each other. 
On an interstate level, the fishery management group 
from one State works with its counterparts from ad- 
joining coastal States to see that the activities and 
goals of each are compatible. 
Three interstate er nenies—Commissigns 
(Atlantic States, Pacific States, and Gulf States) also 
serve a coordinating function in fishery management. 
These commissions are only indirectly part of the 
government’s responsibility, but do receive Federal 
funding. NMFS and the Fish and Wildlife Service 
were designated as the research entities for these 
commissions, excluding the Pacific Commission. In 
cooperation with the Fish and Wildlife Service, these 
commissions regulate, mutually and uniformly, fish- 
ing in the regional territorial waters and bays. 
The Department of State, through its Bureau of 
- Oceans and International Environmental and Sci- 
entific Affairs, develops and carries out the Nation’s 
foreign policy. Besides participating on the Regional 
Councils in a nonvoting capacity, negotiating Inter- 
nauonal Fishery Agreements under the Fishery Con- 
IiI-14 
