467 



Islands, as the case may be. in the succeeding year, 

 on any approved projects, and if unexpended or un- 

 obligated at the end of such year is authorized to be 

 made available for expenditure by the Secretary of 

 the Interior in carrying on the research program of 

 the Fish and Wildlife Service in respect to fish of 

 material value for sport or recreation. <Aug. 9, 1950, 

 ch. 658. § 12. 64 Stat. 434; July 2. 1956, ch. 489, § 4, 70 

 Stat. 473; Aug. 1, 1956, ch. 852, §8, 70 Stat. 908; 

 June 25, 1959, Pub. L. 86-70, § 16, 73 Stat. 143; 



Oct. 23, 1970, Pub. L. 91-503, title II, § 203, 84 Slat. 

 1103.) 



Amendments 

 1970 — Pub. L. 91-503 substituted "Secretary of Agricul- 

 ture of Puerto Rico" for "Commissioner of Agriculture 

 and Commerce of Puerto Rico", added American Samoa 

 to the list of recipients, and substituted maximum limits 

 of apportionment of one percent for Puerto Rico, one- 

 third of one percent for Guam, one-third of one percent 

 for American Samoa and one-third of one percent for 

 Virgin Islands for maximum limit of $10,000 for Puerto 

 Rico. Guam and Virgin Islands together. 



14. Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 

 P.L. 94-265 (90 Stat. 331) 



To provide for the conservation and management of the 

 fisheries, and for other purposes. 



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Rep- 

 resentatives of the United States of America in 

 Congress assembled, That this Act, with the follow- 

 ing table of contents, may be cited as the "Fish- 

 ery Conseivation and Management Act of 1976". 



TABLE OP CONTENTS 



Sec. 2. Findings, purposes, and policy. 

 Sec. 3. Definitions. 



TITLE I— FISHERY MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY OF 

 THE UNITED STATES 



Sec. 101. Fishery conservation zone. 



Sec. 102. Exclusive fishery management authority. 



Sec. 103. Highly migratory species. 



Sec. 104. Effective date. 



TITLE II— FOREGIN FISHING AND INTERNATIONAL 

 FISHERY AGREEMENTS 



Sec. 201. Foreign fishing. 

 Sec. 202. International fishery agreements. 

 Sec. 203. Congressional oversight of governing Interna- 

 tional fishery agreements. 

 Sec. 204. Permits for foreign fishing. 

 Sec. 205. Import prohibitions. 



TITLE ni- 



-NATIONAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT 

 PROGRAM 



Sec. 301. National standards for fishery conservation 



and management. 

 Sec. 302. Regional fishery management councils. 

 Sec. 303. Contents of fishery management plans. 

 Sec. 304. Action by the Secretary. 



Sec. 305. Implementation of fishery management plans. 

 Ssc. 306. State jurisdiction. 

 Sec. 307. Prohibited acts. 

 Sec. 308. Civil penalties. 

 Sec. 309. Criminal offenses. 

 Sec. 310. Civil forfeitures. 

 Sec. 311. Enforcement. 

 Sec. 312. Effective date of certain provisions. 



TITLE IV— MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS 



Sec. 401. Effect of the law of the sea treaty. 



Sec. 402. Repeals. 



Sec. 403. Fishermen's Protective Act amendments. 



Sec. 404. Marine Mammal Protection Act amendment. 



Sec. 405. Atlantic Tunas Convention Act amendment. 



Sec. 406. Authorization of appropriations. 



SEC. 2. FINDINGS, PURPOSES AND POLICY 



(a; Findings. — The Congress finds and declares 

 the following: 



( 1 ) The fish off the coasts of the United States, 

 the highly migratory species of the high seas, the 

 species which dwell on or in the Continental 

 Shelf appertaining to the United States, and the 

 anadromous species which spawn in United 

 States rivers or estuaries, constitute valuable and 

 renewable natural resources. These fishery re- 

 sources contribute to the food supply, economy, 

 and health of the Nation and provide recreational 

 opportunities. 



<2) As a consequence of increased fishing pres- 

 sure and because of the inadequacy of fishery 

 conservation and management practices and 

 controls (A) certain stocks of such fish have 

 been overfished to the point where their survival 

 is threatened, and (Bi other stocks have been so 

 substantially reduced in number that they could 

 become similarly threatened. 



(3) Commercial and recreational fishing con- 

 stitutes a major source of employment and con- 

 tributes significantly to the economy of the Na- 

 tion. Many coastal areas are dependent upon 

 fishing and related activities, and their econ- 

 omies have been badly damaged by the overfish- 

 ing of fishery resources at an ever-increasing 

 rate over the past decade. The activities of mas- 

 sive foreign fishing fleets in waters adjacent to 

 such coastal areas have contributed to such 

 damage, interfered with domestic fishing efforts, 

 and caused destruction of the fishing gear of 

 United States fishermen. 



(4) International fishery agreements have not 

 been effective in preventing or terminating the 

 overfishing of these valuable fishery resources. 

 There is danger that irreversible effects from 

 overfishing will take place before an effective in- 

 ternational agreement on fishery management 

 jurisdiction can be negotiated, signed, ratified, 

 and implemented. 



(5) Fishery resources are finite but renewable. 

 If placed under sound management before over- 

 fishing has caused irreversible effects, the fisher- 

 ies can be conserved and maintained so as to 

 provide optimum yields on a continuing basis. 



