§ 5151. — Findings and purposes.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 16USC5151]
TITLE 16--CONSERVATION
CHAPTER 71A--ATLANTIC STRIPED BASS CONSERVATION
Sec. 5151. Findings and purposes
(a) Findings
The Congress finds and declares the following:
(1) Atlantic striped bass are of historic commercial and
recreational importance and economic benefit to the Atlantic coastal
States and to the Nation.
(2) No single government entity has full management authority
throughout the range of the Atlantic striped bass.
(3) The population of Atlantic striped bass--
(A) has been subject to large fluctuations due to natural
causes, fishing pressure, environmental pollution, loss and
alteration of habitat, inadequacy of fisheries conservation and
management practices, and other causes; and
(B) risks potential depletion in the future without
effective monitoring and conservation and management measures.
(4) It is in the national interest to implement effective
procedures and measures to provide for effective interjurisdictional
conservation and management of this species.
(b) Purpose
It is therefore declared to be the purpose of the Congress in this
chapter to support and encourage the development, implementation, and
enforcement of effective interstate action regarding the conservation
and management of the Atlantic striped bass.
(Pub. L. 98-613, Sec. 2, Oct. 31, 1984, 98 Stat. 3187; Pub. L. 105-146,
Sec. 2, Dec. 16, 1997, 111 Stat. 2672.)
Amendments
1997--Pub. L. 105-146 amended section catchline and text generally,
reenacting subsecs. (a)(1), (4), and (b) without change. Prior to
amendment, pars. (2) and (3) of subsec. (a) read as follows:
``(2) As a consequence of increased fishing pressure, environmental
pollution, the loss and alteration of habitat, and the inadequacy of
fishery conservation and management practices and controls, certain
stocks of Atlantic striped bass have been severely reduced in number.
``(3) Because no single government entity has full management
authority throughout the range of the Atlantic striped bass, the
harvesting and conservation of these fish have been subject to diverse,
inconsistent, and intermittent State regulation that has been
detrimental to the long-term maintenance of stocks of the species and to
the interests of fishermen and the Nation as a whole.''
Short Title of 1997 Amendment
Pub. L. 105-146, Sec. 1, Dec. 16, 1997, 111 Stat. 2672, provided
that: ``This Act [enacting section 5158 of this title, amending this
section and sections 5152 to 5157 of this title, repealing section 757g
of this title, amending provisions set out as a note under this section
and listed in a table of National Wildlife Conservation Areas set out
under section 668dd of this title, and repealing provisions set out as
notes under section 1851 of this title] may be cited as the `Atlantic
Striped Bass Conservation Act Amendments of 1997'.''
Short Title
Pub. L. 98-613, Sec. 1, Oct. 31, 1984, 98 Stat. 3187, as amended by
Pub. L. 105-146, Sec. 2, Dec. 16, 1997, 111 Stat. 2672, provided that:
``This Act [enacting this chapter] may be cited as the `Atlantic Striped
Bass Conservation Act'.''
