Habitat Amendments to the Fishery Conservation and Management Act

Number: 1985-07

 

WHEREAS, the protection and enhancement of habitat is essential to sustain productivity of marine and anadromous fishery resources; and

WHEREAS, the Fishery Conservation and Management Act (FCMA) does not provide Federal fishery management councils responsibility for addressing habitat considerations in fishery management plans; and

WHEREAS, provisions of federally-adopted fishery management plans normally need not be considered in the development or permit-granting activities of Federal agencies affecting fisheries habitat, even if such activities adversely affect Federal management of fisheries;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Wildlife Federation, in annual meeting assembled March 14-17, 1985, in Arlington, Virginia, hereby supports amending the FCMA to require fishery management councils to address habitat needs for production of a fishery and its food base in fishery management plans; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that FCMA be amended to require all Federal agencies to mitigate the effects of their activities in habitat identified as important to federally-managed fisheries where such activities would adversely affect production of the fishery or its food base.