Regional Fishery Management Councils

The objectives of the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils are to prepare, monitor and revise fishery management plans and data collection programs for domestic and foreign fishing within the 200-mile U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This is done with approval and implementation by the Secretary of Commerce who has stewardship responsibility for living marine resources in the EEZ under the MSFCMA.

Eight Regional Fishery Management Councils (New England, Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Pacific, North Pacific and Western Pacific) as established by the MSFCMA. These councils can best be described as "quasi-government" because they are sponsored by the Federal government, specifically funded by Congress but the members are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce from the private sector; they are not Federal employees.

Applications are initially evaluated by the respective National Marine Fisheries Service Regional Administrators and are forwarded to NMFS Headquarters for final approval. They are then forwarded for processing to the Grants Management Division, Office of Administration, NOAA.

A date range will change depending on the review process. Usually within 180 calendar days from the receipt of a complete and acceptable application but may exceed that timeline.