The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) is the primary law that governs fishing in U.S. ocean waters. Considered to be among the most effective fishery management laws in the world, it is a critical tool that has helped build sustainable marine fisheries that underpin healthy ocean environments and vibrant coastal communities in the U.S. Yet, challenges remain for managing our fisheries, and there is room for improvement in the law and how it is carried out. 

First passed in 1976 and improved over time, the MSA has prevented overfishing, protected healthy habitats, and brought fish populations back from the brink. When Congress reauthorized the law in 1996 and 2006, lawmakers empowered managers to use the latest science to set annual catch limits that maintain healthy fish populations and rebound overfished species. This sustained progress has contributed to healthier fisheries and ocean environments that power coastal economies. 

To protect and rebuild fish populations as well as the fisheries and coastal communities that rely on them, we must continue to improve our fishery management system to meet the challenges of today and defend the MSA from dangerous rollbacks.