Domestic and International Management Challenges in Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Fisheries

What does it take to manage Atlantic Highly Migratory Species? It takes an international fisheries management organization with 47 members, input from 5 Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, 19 States and 2 U.S. Territories, 2 State Marine Fisheries Commissions, and a Highly Migratory Species Management Advisory Panel comprised of representatives from the commercial and recreational communities, academia, States, and non-governmental organizations.  The complex life histories and migratory patterns of these species make management a challenge.  The diverse group of resource users and intense public interest in these charismatic megafauna adds to this challenge. Whether it is a bluefin tuna harpooner, a yellowfin tuna pelagic longliner, a marlin tournament operator, a shark charterboat captain, or a concerned student from Illinois, those concerned with these fisheries have widely different environmental and socioeconomic interests.  In some fisheries such as albacore tuna or shortfin mako sharks, U.S. fishing activity represents only a small fraction of the overall Atlantic-wide effort and mortality, making international management decisions a challenge to influence and then implement domestically.  In the end, our goal is to ensure that the management of Atlantic Highly Migratory Species sustains their populations, keeps the marine ecosystem healthy, and ensures economic viability for our fishery participants.