About Us

The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission was established by an act of Congress (P.L. 81-66) in 1949 as a compact of the five Gulf States. Its charge is:

"to promote better utilization of the fisheries, marine, shell and anadromous, of the seaboard of the Gulf of Mexico, by the development of a joint program for the promotion and protection of such fisheries and the prevention of the physical waste of the fisheries from any cause."

The Commission is composed of three members from each of the five Gulf States. The head of the marine resource agency of each state, a member of the legislature, and a citizen with knowledge of marine fisheries appointed by the governor. 

The Commission is empowered to make recommendations to the governors and legislatures of the five Gulf States regarding the management of the fisheries. The states do not relinquish any of their rights or responsibilities in regulating their own fisheries, however. Recommendations to the states are based on scientific studies made by experts employed by state and federal resource agencies and advice from law enforcement officials and the commercial and recreational fishing industries. 

In addition, the Commission advises the United States Congress and may testify on legislation and marine policies that affect the Gulf. One of the most important functions of the Commission is to serve as a forum for the discussion of various problems, issues, and programs concerning marine management.

Since the 1986, the Commission has had the responsibility of administrative support and coordination of the Interjurisdictional Fisheries (IJF) Program designed to develop management plans for transboundary stocks that migrate freely through state and federal jurisdictions. The IJF program promotes interjurisdictional fisheries management among the Gulf States through the cooperative development of fishery management plans which promote consistent regulations (wherever possible) and address research and data needs.  It is also the only such program in which the states determine regional management priorities through planning and research efforts for inshore and nearshore species, such as spotted seatrout, striped mullet, blue crab, and oyster.  In the Gulf of Mexico, these nearshore species comprise the majority of the commercial and recreational harvest, resulting in significant social and economic benefits to the states and the nation.