Councils Faulted on Fisheries Protection

Federal councils charged with managing fisheries are failing to halt overfishing and protect essential fish habitat as required by a 1996 law, a coalition of environmental groups charged. The Marine Fish Conservation Network asked that Commerce Secretary Bill Daley reject a series of management plans being submitted by the eight regional councils because, the group argued, they failed to adequately protect fisheries. Virtually all species of fish have declined off America’s coasts.