16 USC - Chapter 38 - Fishery Conservation and Management - § 1801-1891d.

This Chapter makes provision for the conservation of marine fish resources of the United States. The Chapter is divided into six Subchapters: (I) Generally; (II) United States Rights and Authority regarding fish and fishery resources; (III) Foreign Fishing and International Fishing Agreements; (IV) National Fishery Management Programme; (V) Fishery Monitoring and Research; (VI) Miscellaneous. The Chapter provides for: the establishment of a Fishery Conservation Zone; contains Sections on access, enforcement and total allowable catch, international fishery agreements and permits. Further provisions concern: management plans and the establishment of eight Regional Fishery Management Councils. The Chapter deals also with selected matters of maritime delimitation and establishes a Fishing Zone contiguous to the territorial sea, and with direct substantial attention to fishing issues outside U.S. waters, particularly IUU fishing and bycatch of PLMRs. The Chapter concerns powers of the Secretary of Commerce to urge other nations and RFMOs to address IUU fishing and to put into place regulatory measures to end or reduce bycatch of Protected Living Marine Resources (PLMRs) comparable to those of the United States, taking into account different conditions. It also puts into place an identification and certification procedure for nations whose vessels engage in IUU fishing or bycatch of PLMRs. The reauthorisation of the MSA in 1996 placed additional priority on reducing non-target or incidental catches, minimising fishing impacts to habitat, and eliminating interactions with protected species.