As the U.S. celebrates its 250th birthday this year, many of us in the fishing and ocean communities are also celebrating another important milestone: the 50th anniversary of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the law responsible for ensuring wild-caught seafood from U.S. waters will nourish our families and sustain our coastal businesses and economies for generations.
America’s storied fishing tradition pre-dates our nation’s birth, but the passage of the 1976 Fishery Conservation and Management Act marked the beginning of our nation’s path toward sustainable management of our fisheries. Over the subsequent thirty years, Congress added science-based conservation mandates to stop chronic overfishing and rebuild depleted fish stocks, leading to one of the most effective fisheries management systems in the world.
By taking care of the fish, the ocean, and the people who work on the water, the Magnuson-Stevens Act has strengthened American commercial and recreational fishing industries, which generate $321 billion in total sales and support 2.3 million jobs.
It has helped protect our ocean and its natural infrastructure that contributes to oxygen production and moderates the essential climate systems we rely on. The Magnuson-Stevens Act has also allowed U.S. fishermen to reliably provide locally caught seafood to millions of people.
While most Americans assume the seafood they love, from wild salmon to ingredients for a low country boil, will always be in stock at their local supermarket, fishermen know, too well, the ocean is dynamic and ever-changing, and the pressures on marine resources are enormous. The health of ocean ecosystems and the productivity of our commercial fisheries are far from guaranteed. Fishermen face the added burdens of aging infrastructure and foreign competition in the seafood market, which contribute to operational and revenue uncertainty in their businesses.
Our work is not over. If we want to keep our ocean healthy and American fishermen employed and feeding our families, we must continue to improve how we manage U.S. fisheries and give coastal fishermen the support they need to remain competitive.
For instance, fisheries management needs to do a better job of protecting fish habitat and improving the timeliness and accuracy of data used to assess how many fish are available to catch. American fishermen need essential resources from the federal government, such as greater access to U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and stable funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for their weather reports, data collection, scientific assessments, and other management support needed for fishing operations to function and fishermen to stay safe.
Modernizing working waterfronts requires funding to improve infrastructure and upgrade technology. These and other improvements can support ocean ecosystems, increase fishery abundance, and help fishermen become more competitive in today’s marketplace.
Our ocean is vital to all of us. For fifty years, our federal fisheries management system has been shaped by scientists, fishermen, ocean conservationists, anglers, seafood purveyors, and educators who have first-hand experience, technical expertise, and deep understanding of how healthy oceans and fisheries benefit people, businesses, and communities on a daily basis.
Together we can – and should – continue to advance science-based fisheries management to keep fishermen feeding America, to keep waterfronts working and supporting the U.S. economy, to keep anglers on the water in relentless pursuit of their next big catch, and to keep U.S. waters thriving and bountiful for the next fifty years.
Tom Sadler is chief executive officer of the Marine Fish Conservation Network, a coalition of commercial and recreational fishing associations, regional and national conservation groups, sustainable seafood suppliers and marine science organizations.
