The United States is a coastal state. It is a country that shares borders with oceanic waters: the Atlantic Ocean in the east, the Pacific Ocean in the west and the Gulf of Mexico to the south.

All coastal states, as established by UNCLOS, have Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). These zones extend up to 200 nautical miles from the coastline. Within them, coastal states have certain exclusive rights to marine resources in the area, such as the fishing of tuna and other seafood. Coastal states also have certain responsibilities for the conservation and management of the marine life and environment in their EEZs. However, as part of the global management structure, coastal states also cooperate with the regulations established by RFMOs.

The conservation and management responsibilities of coastal states include:

• determining the total allowable catch of tuna and other seafood within its EEZ
• ensuring, through proper conservation and management measures, that living resources are not endangered by over-exploitation
• maintaining or restoring harvested species at levels which can produce maximum sustainable yield