| ABC – Acceptable Biological Catch |
| ACL – Annual Catch Limit |
| ACT – Annual Catch Target |
| AM – Accountability Measures |
| AP – Advisory Panel |
| ASMFC – Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission |
| BRD – Bycatch Reduction Device |
| CEA – Cooperative Enforcement Agreement |
| CPUE – Catch Per Unit Effort |
| CZMA – Coastal Zone Management Act |
| EEZ – Exclusive Economic Zone |
| EFH – Essential Fish Habitat |
| EFP – Exempted Fishing Permit |
| EIS – Environmental Impact Statement |
| ESA – Endangered Species Act of 1973 |
| F – A measure of the instantaneous rate of fishing mortality |
| FDM – Fishery-dependent monitoring |
| FIM – Fishery-independent monitoring |
| FMP – Fishery Management Plan |
| GMFMC – Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council |
| GSMFC – Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission |
| HMS – Highly Migratory Species |
| IFQ – Individual Fishing Quota |
| ITQ – Individual Transferable Quota |
| JEA – Joint Enforcement Agreement |
| LAPP – Limited Access Privilege Program |
| LEAP – Law Enforcement Advisory Panel |
| LEC – Law Enforcement Committee |
| MFMT – Maximum Fishing Mortality Threshold |
| MMPA – Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 |
| MPA – Marine Protected Area |
| MRFSS – Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey |
| MRIP – Marine Recreational Information Program |
| MSA – Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act |
| MSST – Minimum Stock Size Threshold |
| MSY – Maximum Sustainable Yield |
| NEPA – National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 |
| NMFS – National Marine Fisheries Service |
| NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |
| OY – NOAA Fisheries Optimum Yield |
| SAFMC – South Atlantic Fishery Management Council |
| SEDAR – Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review |
| SEFSC – NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center |
| SERO – NOAA Fisheries Southeast Regional Office |
| SPR – Spawning Potential Ratio |
| SSB – Spawning Stock Biomass |
| SSC – Scientific and Statistical Committee |
| TAC – Total Allowable Catch |
| TED – Turtle Excluder Device |
| VMS – Vessel Monitoring System |
| USCG – U.S. Coast Guard |