- Office Home
- About Us
- Key Topics

HomeBureaus & Offices > Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs...Office of Marine Conservation

# Office of Marine Conservation

					Ocean					

## 				Our Mission			

					The Office of Marine Conservation (OES/OMC) formulates and implements U.S. policy on a broad range of international marine conservation issues in order to ensure economic prosperity and security through healthy, sustainably managed fisheries in the oceans and Great Lakes. 				

## 							Key Topics						

        -  											International Fisheries Management										 
        -  											Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing										 
        -  											Addressing Fisheries at the Global Level										 
        -  											Bycatch and Environmental Impacts of Fishing										 
        -  											Sea Turtles, Shrimp Imports and Section 609										 

### 											International Fisheries Management											

The U.S. is a member or observer of many regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), treaty-based multilateral bodies and other bilateral, regional, and global organizations that oversee the cooperative sustainable management of shared fish stocks and other living marine resources. OMC also engages in a number of other bilateral and regional cooperation arrangements on fisheries.
													Learn More about International Fisheries Management													International Fisheries Management

### 											Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing											

As the largest single-country market for fish and fish products, the third largest wild seafood producer, and the fifth largest exporter of fish and fish products, the U.S. has a particularly strong stake in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The Department of State coordinates closely with other federal agencies to implement domestic and international actions related to combatting IUU fishing.
													Learn More about Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing													Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing

### 											Addressing Fisheries at the Global Level											

Conserving and managing shared fisheries resources requires international cooperation, multilateral diplomacy, and information sharing. The U.S. engages through international organizations and agreements focused on the conservation and management of living marine resources, which provide a forum for States to discuss international fisheries issues, and to develop approaches for addressing them.
													Learn More about Addressing Fisheries at the Global Level													Addressing Fisheries at the Global Level

### 											Bycatch and Environmental Impacts of Fishing											

The Department of State, with other federal agencies, works bilaterally, regionally, and globally to adopt strong measures to reduce the bycatch of juvenile fish and vulnerable non-target species, particularly sea turtles, seabirds, and dolphins, and level the playing field for the U.S. industry by promoting our best practices and advocating for the international adoption of measures that match our high domestic standards.
													Learn More about Bycatch and Environmental Impacts of Fishing													Bycatch and Environmental Impacts of Fishing

### 											Sea Turtles, Shrimp Imports and Section 609											

The U.S. works to conserve and protect sea turtles through the promotion of turtle excluder devices, membership and participation in international conventions and agreements, and the annual certification of shrimp-harvesting nations that do so without adversely affecting endangered sea turtles, rendering that shrimp eligible for entry into the U.S.  
													Learn More about Sea Turtles, Shrimp Imports and Section 609													Sea Turtles, Shrimp Imports and Section 609

Back to Top