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Living Marine Resources
Why We Act
Our oceans represent a significant source of renewable wealth, providing income for
fishermen, recreation for over 17 million Americans, and abundant seafood for the
American public. Commercial and recreational fisheries annually contribute an estimated
billion and billion respectively to the U.S. economy. Worldwide, poorly managed
fishing destroys 60 billion tons of sea life every year - mostly in the form of
unintentional by- catch. In the process of harvesting mature swordfish, 40,000 juvenile
swordfish are unintentionally caught and destroyed each year - fish that would help
sustain the fishery and its economic benefits if they reached maturity. The importance
of responsible management of ocean resources will continue to grow as the oceans are
looked to as an increasingly critical source of food for the world's growing population.
We are the only agency able to enforce regulations over our vast fishing grounds.
Key Factors
Over-harvesting, unintentional by-catch, and illegal fishing reduce the overall health
and abundance of fisheries stocks. As fishing boats grow larger and more efficient
these factors will increase, further degrading fisheries health. The economic health of
the fishing industry and individual fishermen affects their propensity for compliance
with regulations: in bad times, some will ignore regulations meant to sustain fisheries
levels. Scientific errors in fisheries management estimates can lead to the
establishment and enforcement of regulations that provide less than optimal protection
to stocks, and the wording and structure of regulations can affect the Coast Guard's
ability to enforce compliance. Environmental factors can also affect fisheries stock
health. As the demand for seafood grows worldwide, the Coast Guard will be pressed to
maintain the readiness to enforce all fisheries regulations.
Strategies
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) develops biologically effective living
marine resource management plans and establishes regulations that guide enforcement. The
Coast Guard develops viable enforcement schemes, monitors compliance with international
agreements, and ensures compliance with laws and regulations.
We maintain a surface and air presence on fishing grounds to deter violations and
apprehend those that do break the law: we strive to board 20% of all fishing vessels in
areas of importance, and detect 80% of all significant violations. Major laws enforced
include the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation Act, Lacey Act, High Seas Drift Net
Moratorium, and the Marine Mammal and Endangered Species Act. We are working with NMFS
to develop a national Vessel Monitoring System that will provide automated information
on vessel positions. This will improve our surveillance of important fishing areas. We
developed a ship reporting system to protect the critically endangered Northern Right
Whale from vessel collisions, and have pursued regulatory activity regarding ship
ballast water management to reduce harm by invasive species.
Coordination
The Coast Guard works closely with NMFS and also coordinates with state fisheries
enforcement organizations.
24 Protection of Natural Resources
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