Regionalizing Exclusive Economic Zone Management

The Exclusive Economic Zone of the U.S. is an extensive area which displays great geographic diversity in terms of resources and the interests of coastal areas. It is suggested that eight regional management units be established for the EEZ, corresponding to the eight regional fisheries management councils, that for some activities such as ocean dumping and marine recreation these regional units have considerable management responsibilities, and that they be charged with addressing the problems of conflict avoidance in their respective regions through planning studies and the recommendation of specific forms of standard setting and enforcement for those types of multiuse activities which are not already covered by specific federal agency responsibilities.