Use of conservation areas for fisheries management and ecosystem conservation in the U.S. exclusive economic zone

Area-based restrictions on the use of fishing gears is one of many tools to conserve ecosystems and biodiversity in U.S. waters as well as internationally. We defined the term ‘marine fisheries conservation area’ and created an inventory of areas that restrict fishing activities, most of which were established by the U.S. Fishery Management Councils under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA). We identified 648 areas which currently cover 72 % of the total U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). 531 areas, representing 56 % of the EEZ, were classified as Ecosystem Conservation Areas that directly provide in situ conservation of biodiversity. Bottom trawling is prohibited year-round in 56 % of the EEZ, and all bottom tending gear is prohibited year-round in 37 %. Other fishing gears are prohibited in 60 % of the EEZ year-round. Thus, a majority of the U.S. EEZ is conserved from the most environmentally adverse fishing activities. These focused geographic areas complement other management tools used to ensure sustainable fisheries and ecosystems, such as catch and bycatch limits and limitations on legal gears, which are often deployed at regional scales. Collectively, these measures meet objectives and MSA National Standards and promote the maintenance of biological productivity and biodiversity, while balancing ecosystem function with services that benefit our nation, such as access to nature through recreational opportunities and healthy, sustainable seafood for consumers. The strength of fisheries management in the U.S. is the ability to balance the diverse needs of the nation with the need for a healthy marine ecosystem. • We developed a definition of “Conservation Areas” accounting for regulatory considerations and maintenance of biodiversity. • The U.S. Regional Fishery Management Councils have designated hundreds of management areas meeting this definition. • The areas have extensive geographic coverage, e.g., the Ecosystem Conservation Areas cover over half of the U.S. EEZ. • The areas represent significant restrictions on fishing methods, with 56% of the U.S. EEZ closed to bottom trawls. • A companion database can support evaluation of these areas as Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs).