- Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission ( ASMFC ) manages marine, shell, and anadromous fishery resources along the Atlantic coast within state waters.
About the ASMFC
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission was formed by the 15 Atlantic coast states in 1942 in recognition that "fish do not adhere to political boundaries." [cite web | url = http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm| title = Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: About Us | accessdate =2007-22-01| work= [http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm ] ] The Commission serves as a deliberative body, coordinating the conservation and management of the states shared near shore fishery resources – marine, shell, and
anadromous – for sustainable use.Member states are
Maine ,New Hampshire ,Massachusetts ,Rhode Island ,Connecticut ,New York ,New Jersey ,Pennsylvania ,Delaware ,Maryland ,Virginia ,North Carolina ,South Carolina , Georgia, andFlorida . Each is represented by three Commissioners: the director for the state’s marine fisheries management agency, a state legislator, and an individual appointed by the governor. Commissioners participate in the deliberations in the Commission’s five main policy arenas: Interstate fisheries management, research and statistics, fisheries science, habitat conservation, and law enforcement. The one-state one-vote concept allows Commissioners to address stakeholder-resource balance issues at the state level."The Commission focuses on responsible stewardship of marine fisheries resources. It serves as a forum for the states to collectively address
fisheries issues under the premise that as a group, using a cooperative approach, they can achieve more than they could as individuals. The Commission does not promote a particular state or a particular stakeholder sector." [cite web | url = http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm| title = Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: About Us | accessdate =2007-22-01| work= [http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm ] ]ASMFC Mission
"To promote the better utilization of the
fisheries , marine, shell, andanadromous , of the Atlantic seaboard by the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of suchfisheries , and by the prevention of physical waste of thefisheries from any cause." [cite web | url = http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm| title = Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: About Us | accessdate =2007-22-01| work= [http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm ] ]ASMFC Vision
"Healthy, self-sustaining populations for all Atlantic coast fish species or successful restoration well in progress by the year 2015." [cite web | url = http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm| title = Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission: About Us | accessdate =2007-22-01| work= [http://www.asmfc.org/aboutUs.htm ] ]
External links
* [http://www.asmfc.org Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission website]
References
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