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Archived Project

Pacific Ocean Conservation

Ocean health along the U.S. West Coast

The Pew Charitable Trusts has worked to promote ocean health along the U.S. West Coast for more than a decade. This includes efforts to conserve forage fish as critical prey for marine wildlife, protect ecologically sensitive areas such as pristine deep-sea corals, and reduce bycatch—injury or death of nontarget marine species—by phasing out large-mesh drift gillnets in the West Coast swordfish fishery.

 

Together with scientists, managers, recreational fishermen, and conservationists, Pew has helped pave the way for a more comprehensive approach to fisheries management in the region. 

In 2019, Pew’s focus expanded to include the protection and restoration of highly productive nearshore waters and coastal habitats crucial to a healthy marine environment. Read more about Pew’s ongoing work on these issues on the Conserving Marine Life in the U.S.— West Coast page.

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Conserving Marine Life in the U.S. – West Coast

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Conserving Marine Life in the U.S. – West Coast

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The Magnuson-Stevens Act at 40

Reasons major U.S. fishing law should shift to big picture management

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On April 13, 2016, the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the primary law that governs fishing in U.S. ocean waters, turns 40.

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