Seabirds are in crisis. Threatened by oil spills, overfishing, habitat loss, and getting accidentally hooked on fishing gear, seabird populations around the world have declined by 70 percent since 1950. Seabirds rely on small, schooling fish known as forage fish to eat and to feed their chicks. Forage fish are not yet included in federal fisheries management, leaving them vulnerable to overfishing.

Through the Sustaining America’s Fisheries for the Future Act, Congress can strengthen fishing communities and ensure a high standard of sustainable fisheries management continues well into the future. These amendments to the MSA, along with additional provisions to support fishing communities and fisheries management, will ensure the MSA meets the needs of stakeholders now and into the future.