March 4, 2013 — Wild fisheries in U.S. territorial waters are governed by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This act contains strict requirements for conservation and sustainability that essentially mandate no fish stock be subjected to overfishing. The overfishing limit is strictly defined. It is not only precautionary, but is a level that allows fish stocks to rebuild to the maximum sustainable yield level over time.
In 1996, federal lawmakers adopted the Sustainable Fisheries Act as a substantial amendment to Magnuson-Stevens. It is perhaps the most aggressive conservation law currently in place in the world. Essentially, it requires that all fish stocks be evaluated for their status relative to what is believed to be their fully rebuilt potential. If a stock is believed to be below 50 percent of the rebuilt goal, fishery managers are required to initiate a rebuilding plan that reduces fish mortality to a level that will allow the stock to be fully rebuilt in 10 years or less.
Read the full story at The New York Times