Fisheries Law Enforcement: Status and Challenges

Law enforcement is a critical element of fisheries management, ensuring that participants comply with restrictions intended to protect fishery sustainability and the marine environment. Effective fisheries enforcement requires responsible agencies—namely the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. Coast Guard, and states enforcement bodies—to overcome challenges ranging from resource limitations to geography to regulatory complexity. Recent reforms have attempted to address weaknesses in the enforcement system and to improve the consistency and predictability of enforcement actions (e.g., see background documents).

In this café style session, panelists will discuss the key challenges facing fisheries law enforcement agencies and the regulated industry, ongoing reform efforts, and what additional actions and solutions may be necessary to ensure that the system maximizes fisheries compliance.

MODERATOR:

• Read D. Porter, Senior Attorney, Environmental Law Institute

PANELISTS:

• Ben Friedman, Deputy General Counsel, NOAA
• Dr. Dennis King, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
• Sam Martin, VP Operations, Atlantic Capes Fisheries Inc.
• Vince O’Shea, Executive Director, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission

BACKGROUND MATERIALS:

• Jan. 2010 NOAA Office of Inspector General report
• July 2010 Stakeholder Summit Summary
• NOAA's online timeline of enforcement program improvements

The 2012 Ocean Seminar Series is generously supported by the
Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation.

Click here for more information on ELI's Ocean Seminar Series