Conducting restoration projects in degraded Essential Fish Habitat to help rebuild declining fish stocks. The Essential Fish Habitat provisions of the Magnuson-Stevens Act can assist resource managers in improving the status of the nation's fisheries. However, in order to be an effective asset to fishery management the Essential Fish Habitat provisions need stakeholder support. With help from the scientific and academic communities, fishery managers can better identify and assess adverse impacts to fish habitat. Industry, nongovernmental organizations, and the general public must comment and educate resource managers on issues regarding Essential Fish Habitat.
Fish are a valuable resource for our nation, and an important part of marine ecosystems.
Therefore, we must all make an effort to protect fish habitat and identify actions to encourage fish habitat conservation. The public can play many roles in fishery management. Provide new Essential Fish Habitat information to NOAA Fisheries and Regional Management Councils. In addition, we can all be better stewards by participating in fish habitat conservation to ensure the sustainability of our fisheries. Participating in public processes that provide an opportunity for comment.