The Sustainable Fisheries Division, Southeast Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), is entrusted with the conservation, management, and protection of marine fishery resources inhabiting federal waters off the southeastern United States from North Carolina through Texas and Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Division is the Region’s focal point for implementing NMFS' primary legislative authority for fisheries management and research, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), as amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA).

The Division works directly with the Region’s three fishery management councils established by Congress to perform the mandates of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. These mandates are accomplished through fishery management plans for marine finfish and crustacea that support important commercial and recreational fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico, south Atlantic Ocean, and Caribbean Sea and consider conservation and management issues, sociological and economic issues, and regulatory issues. Functions and activities required to fulfill this and other responsibilities as specified in the Magnuson-Stevens Act include: providing guidance on fisheries management; providing technical assistance and advise in preparing FMPs in accordance with national standard guidelines and other applicable laws; coordinating public review and compilation of comments; initiating Secretarial review of FMPs and amendments; drafting regulations and Federal Register notices, as well as reviewing and responding to comments received during rulemaking; FMP implementation; and monitoring.

Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act: NMFS' primary legislative authority for fisheries management and research, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act), was extensively amended by the Sustainable Fisheries Act (SFA). To keep colleagues, and the public, abreast of the changes and the implementation work in progress: See the Sustainable Fisheries Act, including 1996 changes and amendments to the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, this website will provide the following: (1) Amended Magnuson-Stevens Act; (2) Legislative Guide to the Magnuson-Stevens Act; (3) Sustainable Fisheries Act Implementation Plan and Tracking System; (4) Proposed Rules and Other Documents; and (5) SFA UPDATE. Fishery Management Plan Summaries By Regional Fishery Management Council: These documents are concise summaries of the Fishery Management Plans (FMPs) that were prepared by the Gulf of Mexico , South Atlantic, and Caribbean Fishery Management Councils, or the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Councils, and NMFS . Many FMPs have been amended several times. To obtain a copy of the entire document, contact the Council by mail or by phone. The summary will tell you the name of the Council, NMFS plan coordinator to call for more information, species in the management unit, and principle management measures. You can determine if this FMP applies to you by knowing where you are fishing or planning to fish and the common or scientific name of the fish you caught or plan to catch. Just review the management unit to determine if the FMP applies to you. When in doubt call the Southeast Regional Office at 727/824-5305.

Enforcement Hotline - Call 1-800-853-1964 to report violations of Federal fishing regulations. All information is confidential. Federal Fishing Regulations via the Government Printing Office (GPO) Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation (SAFE) Report Unofficial Federal Regulations: This information (regulations) is provided by the Southeast Regional Office, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the use and convenience of interested persons. The information available through this site may change over time. Official sources of information, such as the Federal Register, control in the event of any discrepancy appearing on NMFS home pages. Federal regulations are updated annually on October 1. See the GPO for the annual update. The Southeast Regional Office updates these regulations whenever a change occurs. Enforcement Hotline Call 1-800-853-1964 to report violations of Federal fishing regulations. All information is confidential.