50 Years In, the Ocean Still Needs Us

50 Years In, the Ocean Still Needs Us

This year’s World Ocean Day hits a little differently. It falls in the 50th anniversary year of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the law that transformed how this country manages its fisheries and set us on a path toward healthier oceans. The ocean provides food, livelihoods, and a natural infrastructure that supports life […]

Magnuson-Stevens: From The Beginning

Magnuson-Stevens: From The Beginning

April 1976 found me at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, finishing up my senior year. I was wandering around campus, drinking too much beer, sleeping too late and, when time allowed, prepping for final exams. It was warm, at least for spring in central New England, so I often wore my […]

The Truth About the Magnuson-Stevens Act

The Truth About the Magnuson-Stevens Act

This article was originally published on March 27, 2026 on the Conservation Law Foundation’s (CLF) blog and is reprinted with permission. Top photo: Historic fishing communities are part of the lifeblood of New England. Credit: EcoPhotography. Fifty Years Later, We Look at the Complicated Legacy of this Groundbreaking Fishing Law By the 1970s, the U.S. […]

Celebrating 50 Years of the Magnuson-Stevens Act

Celebrating 50 Years of the Magnuson-Stevens Act

This article was first published on April 24, 2026 on the Alaska Marine Community Coalition’s Changing Tides Blog and is reprinted with permission. Top photo: Kodiak Harbor Waterfront, Alaska. This month, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) marks its 50th anniversary. In Alaska, it is more than a policy framework. It is the […]

The Magnuson-Stevens Act Turns 50

The Magnuson-Stevens Act Turns 50

This article was originally published on the Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDC) website and is republished with permission. Top photo: Wild Pacific salmon reef net fishing boats off Lummi Island, Washington. Credit: Edmund Lowe/Getty Images. A half century of progress has been made toward abundant fisheries and thriving coastal communities, but there is still much […]

“The Ocean Called to Us as Kids” — A Waterside Chat with Theresa Labriola of Wild Oceans

“The Ocean Called to Us as Kids” — A Waterside Chat with Theresa Labriola of Wild Oceans

Theresa Labriola of Wild Oceans joined the Network for a Waterside Chat with the Marine Fish Conservation Network on April 6, 2026. Watch now: Follow on Substack In a wide-ranging discussion, Theresa and host Tom Sadler talked about: How Theresa grew up fishing for striped bass and tuna from her family boat off Rhode Island […]

Watch: Waterside Chat with Sustainable Fishmonger Lyf Gildersleeve

Watch: Waterside Chat with Sustainable Fishmonger Lyf Gildersleeve

Lyf Gildersleeve joined the Network for an online Waterside Chat with host Tom Sadler on March 10, 2026. Lyf is a second-generation fishmonger who actively promotes and protects sustainable use of our seafood resources. He owns Flying Fish Company, a retail fish market, meat market, and oyster bar in Portland, Oregon and its nonprofit arm, […]

What Are They Thinking at the ASMFC?

What Are They Thinking at the ASMFC?

Read this post on Substack. Top photo: John McMurray The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) plays a big role in East Coast fisheries management. It has the primary responsibility for drafting and updating management plans for important commercial and recreational species such as striped bass, red drum and menhaden, while also working with the […]