CHAPTER 71A —ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION
Editorial Notes
Codification
This chapter is comprised of
§5151. Findings and purposes
(a) Findings
The Congress finds and declares the following:
(1) Atlantic striped bass are of historic commercial and recreational importance and economic benefit to the Atlantic coastal States and to the Nation.
(2) No single government entity has full management authority throughout the range of the Atlantic striped bass.
(3) The population of Atlantic striped bass—
(A) has been subject to large fluctuations due to natural causes, fishing pressure, environmental pollution, loss and alteration of habitat, inadequacy of fisheries conservation and management practices, and other causes; and
(B) risks potential depletion in the future without effective monitoring and conservation and management measures.
(4) It is in the national interest to implement effective procedures and measures to provide for effective interjurisdictional conservation and management of this species.
(b) Purpose
It is therefore declared to be the purpose of the Congress in this chapter to support and encourage the development, implementation, and enforcement of effective interstate action regarding the conservation and management of the Atlantic striped bass.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—
"(2) As a consequence of increased fishing pressure, environmental pollution, the loss and alteration of habitat, and the inadequacy of fishery conservation and management practices and controls, certain stocks of Atlantic striped bass have been severely reduced in number.
"(3) Because no single government entity has full management authority throughout the range of the Atlantic striped bass, the harvesting and conservation of these fish have been subject to diverse, inconsistent, and intermittent State regulation that has been detrimental to the long-term maintenance of stocks of the species and to the interests of fishermen and the Nation as a whole."
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Short Title of 1997 Amendment
Short Title
Executive Documents
Ex. Ord. No. 13449. Protection of Striped Bass and Red Drum Fish Populations
Ex. Ord. No. 13449, Oct. 20, 2007, 72 F.R. 60531, provided:
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, to assist in ensuring faithful execution of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act, and the Atlantic Striped Bass Conservation Act (chapters 38, 71, and 71A of
(i) encourage, as appropriate, management under Federal, State, territorial, tribal, and local laws that supports the policy of conserving striped bass and red drum, including State designation as gamefish where the State determines appropriate under applicable law;
(ii) revise current regulations, as appropriate, to include prohibiting the sale of striped bass and red drum caught within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States off the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico;
(iii) periodically review the status of the striped bass and red drum populations within waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States and:
(A) take such actions within the authority of the Secretary of Commerce as may be appropriate to carry out the policy set forth in section 1 of this order; and
(B) recommend to the President such actions as the Secretary may deem appropriate to advance the policy set forth in section 1 that are not within the authority of the Secretary.
(b) Nothing in this order shall preclude or restrict the production, possession, or sale of striped bass or red drum fish that have been produced by aquaculture.
(c) The Secretary of Commerce shall implement subsections 2(a)(i) and (iii), insofar as they relate to Atlantic striped bass, jointly with the Secretary of the Interior, as appropriate.
(a) "Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States" means the marine area of the United States as defined in Presidential Proclamation 5030 of March 10, 1983, with, for purposes of this order, the inner boundary of that zone being a line coterminous with the seaward boundary of each of the coastal States;
(b) "red drum" means the species Sciaenops ocellatus; and
(c) "striped bass" means the species Morone saxatilis.
(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budget, administrative, and legislative proposals.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by a party against the United States, its departments, agencies, instrumentalities, entities, officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
George W. Bush.
§5152. Definitions
As used in this chapter—
(1) the term "Magnuson Act" means the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (
(2) The term "Atlantic striped bass" means members of stocks or populations of the species Morone saxatilis, which ordinarily migrate seaward of the waters described in paragraph (3)(A)(i).
(3) The term "coastal waters" means—
(A) for each coastal State referred to in paragraph (4)(A)—
(i) all waters, whether salt or fresh, of the coastal State shoreward of the baseline from which the territorial sea of the United States is measured; and
(ii) the waters of the coastal State seaward from the baseline referred to in clause (i) to the inner boundary of the exclusive economic zone;
(B) for the District of Columbia, those waters within its jurisdiction; and
(C) for the Potomac River Fisheries Commission, those waters of the Potomac River within the boundaries established by the Potomac River Compact of 1958.
(4) The term "coastal State" means—
(A) Pennsylvania and each State of the United States bordering on the Atlantic Ocean north of the State of South Carolina;
(B) the District of Columbia; and
(C) the Potomac River Fisheries Commission established by the Potomac River Compact of 1958.
(5) The term "Commission" means the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission established under the interstate compact consented to and approved by the Congress in Public Laws
(6) The term "exclusive economic zone" has the meaning given such term in section 3(6) 1 of the Magnuson Act (
(7) The term "fishing" means—
(A) the catching, taking, or harvesting of Atlantic striped bass, except when incidental to harvesting that occurs in the course of commercial or recreational fish catching activities directed at a species other than Atlantic striped bass;
(B) the attempted catching, taking, or harvesting of Atlantic striped bass; and
(C) any operation at sea in support of, or in preparation for, any activity described in subparagraph (A) or (B).
The term does not include any scientific research authorized by the Federal Government or by any State government.
(8) The term "moratorium area" means the coastal waters with respect to which a declaration under
(9) The term "moratorium period" means the period beginning on the day on which moratorium is declared under
(10) The term "Plan" means a plan for managing Atlantic striped bass, or an amendment to such plan, that is prepared and adopted by the Commission.
(11) The term "Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce or a designee of the Secretary of Commerce.
(12) The term "Secretaries" means the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of the Interior or their designees.
(
Editorial Notes
References in Text
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, referred to in par. (1), is
Section 3(6) of the Magnuson Act, referred to in par. (6), was redesignated section 3(11) of that Act, by
Amendments
1997—
1996—Par. (1).
1988—Par. (1).
1986—Pars. (2) to (4).
"(2) The term 'Atlantic striped bass' means members of stocks or populations of the species Morone saxatilis, which ordinarily migrate seaward of the waters described in paragraph (3)(A).
"(3) The term 'coastal waters' means—
"(A) all waters, whether salt or fresh, of a coastal State shoreward of the baseline from which the territorial sea of the United States is measured; and
"(B) the waters of a coastal State seaward from the baseline referred to in subparagraph (A) to the inner boundary of the exclusive economic zone.
"(4) The term 'coastal State' means Pennsylvania and each State of the United States bordering on the Atlantic Ocean north of the State of South Carolina."
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
1 See References in Text note below.
§5153. Monitoring of implementation and enforcement by coastal States
(a) Determination
During December of each fiscal year, and at any other time it deems necessary the Commission shall determine—
(1) whether each coastal State has adopted all regulatory measures necessary to fully implement the Plan in its coastal waters; and
(2) whether the enforcement of the Plan by each coastal State is satisfactory.
(b) Satisfactory State enforcement
For purposes of subsection (a)(2), enforcement by a coastal State shall not be considered satisfactory by the Commission if, in its view, the enforcement is being carried out in such a manner that the implementation of the Plan within the coastal waters of the State is being, or will likely be, substantially and adversely affected.
(c) Notification of Secretaries
The Commission shall immediately notify the Secretaries of each negative determination made by it under subsection (a).
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—
1988—Subsec. (a)(1).
1986—Subsec. (a).
Subsec. (b).
"(1) under subsection (a) of this section that a coastal State has not taken the actions described in that subsection; or
"(2) under subsection (c) of this section that the enforcement of the Plan by a coastal State is not satisfactory;
the Secretary shall determine, within 30 days, whether that coastal State is in compliance with the Plan and, if the State is not in compliance, the Secretary shall declare a moratorium on fishing for Atlantic striped bass within the coastal waters of that coastal State. In making such a determination, the Secretary shall carefully consider and review the comments of the Commission, that coastal State in question, and the Secretary of the Interior."
Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (d).
§5154. Moratorium
(a) Secretarial action after notification
Upon receiving notice from the Commission under
(b) Prohibited acts during moratorium
During a moratorium period, it is unlawful for any person—
(1) to engage in fishing within the moratorium area;
(2) to land, or attempt to land, Atlantic striped bass that are caught, taken, or harvested in violation of paragraph (1);
(3) to land lawfully harvested Atlantic striped bass within the boundaries of a coastal State when a moratorium declared under subsection (a) applies to that State; or
(4) to fail to return to the water Atlantic striped bass to which the moratorium applies that are caught incidental to harvesting that occurs in the course of commercial or recreational fish catching activities, regardless of the physical condition of the striped bass when caught.
(c) Civil penalties
(1) Civil penalty
Any person who commits any act that is unlawful under subsection (b) shall be liable to the United States for a civil penalty as provided by section 308 of the Magnuson Act (
(2) Civil forfeitures
(A) In general
Any vessel (including its gear, equipment, appurtenances, stores, and cargo) used, and any fish (or the fair market value thereof) taken or retained, in any manner, in connection with, or as the result of, the commission of any act that is unlawful under subsection (b) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States as provided in section 310 of the Magnuson Act (
(B) Disposal of fish
Any fish seized pursuant to this chapter may be disposed of pursuant to the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, or, if perishable, in a manner prescribed in regulations.
(d) Enforcement
A person authorized by the Secretaries or the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating may take any action to enforce a moratorium declared under subsection (a) that an officer authorized by the Secretary under section 311(b) of the Magnuson Act (
(e) Regulations
The Secretaries may issue regulations to implement this section.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—
1996—Subsec. (e)(2).
1991—Subsec. (e).
1988—Subsecs. (c)(2), (d)(2).
1986—
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Transfer of Functions
For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see
§5155. Continuing studies of striped bass populations
(a) In general
For the purposes of carrying out this chapter, the Secretaries shall conduct continuing, comprehensive studies of Atlantic striped bass stocks. These studies shall include, but shall not be limited to, the following:
(1) Annual stock assessments, using fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data, for the purposes of extending the long-term population record generated by the annual striped bass study conducted by the Secretaries before 1994 and understanding the population dynamics of Atlantic striped bass.
(2) Investigations of the causes of fluctuations in Atlantic striped bass populations.
(3) Investigations of the effects of water quality, land use, and other environmental factors on the recruitment, spawning potential, mortality, and abundance of Atlantic striped bass populations, including the Delaware River population.
(4) Investigations of—
(A) the interactions between Atlantic striped bass and other fish, including bluefish, menhaden, mackerel, and other forage fish or possible competitors, stock assessments of these species, to the extent appropriate; and
(B) the effects of interspecies predation and competition on the recruitment, spawning potential mortality, and abundance of Atlantic striped bass.
(b) Socio-economic study
The Secretaries, in consultation with with 1 the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, shall conduct a study of the socio-economic benefits of the Atlantic striped bass resource. The Secretaries shall issue a report to the Congress concerning the findings of this study no later than September 30, 1998.
(c) Reports
The Secretaries shall make biennial reports to the Congress and to the Commission concerning the progress and findings of studies conducted under subsection (a) and shall make those reports public. Such reports shall, to the extent appropriate, contain recommendations of actions which could be taken to encourage the sustainable management of Atlantic striped bass.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—
§5156. Authorization of appropriations; cooperative agreements
(a) Authorization
For each of fiscal years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010,1 2011, there are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this chapter—
(1) $1,000,000 to the Secretary of Commerce; and
(2) $250,000 to the Secretary of the Interior.
(b) Cooperative agreements
The Secretaries may enter into cooperative agreements with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission or with States, for the purpose of using amounts appropriated pursuant to this section to provide financial assistance for carrying out the purposes of this chapter.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2007—Subsec. (a).
2000—Subsec. (a).
"(1) $800,000 to the Secretary of Commerce; and
"(2) $250,000 to the Secretary of the Interior."
1997—
1991—
1988—
1986—
1 So in original. Probably should be followed by "and".
§5157. Public participation in preparation of management plans and amendments
(a) Standards and procedures
In order to ensure the opportunity for public participation in the preparation of management plans and amendments to management plans for Atlantic striped bass, the Commission shall prepare such plans and amendments in accordance with the standards and procedures established under
(b) Application
Subsection (a) shall apply to management plans and amendments adopted by the Commission after the 6-month period beginning on December 16, 1997.
(
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1997—
§5158. Protection of striped bass in the exclusive economic zone
(a) Regulation of fishing in exclusive economic zone
The Secretary shall promulgate regulations governing fishing for Atlantic striped bass in the exclusive economic zone that the Secretary determines—
(1) are consistent with the national standards set forth in section 301 of the Magnuson Act (
(2) are compatible with the Plan and each Federal moratorium in effect on fishing for Atlantic striped bass within the coastal waters of a coastal State;
(3) ensure the effectiveness of State regulations on fishing for Atlantic striped bass within the coastal waters of a coastal State; and
(4) are sufficient to assure the long-term conservation of Atlantic striped bass populations.
(b) Consultation; periodic review of regulations
In preparing regulations under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, the appropriate Regional Fishery Management Councils, and each affected Federal, State, and local government entity. The Secretary shall periodically review regulations promulgated under subsection (a), and if necessary to ensure their continued consistency with the requirements of subsection (a), shall amend those regulations.
(c) Applicability of Magnuson Act provisions
The provisions of sections 307, 308, 309, 310, and 311 of the Magnuson Act (
(
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 9 of