Washington, D.C. ? Congress on Saturday passed the broadest overhaul of the rules that govern the U.S. fishing industry in a decade, with provisions instructing fishery managers to adhere strictly to scientific advice so as not to deplete the ocean.

The final language of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, which passed the Senate on Thursday and the House early Saturday, was a compromise between environmentalists and fishing interests. The measure mandates an end to overfishing of depleted species within 2 1/2 years and allows the selling and trading of shares in a fishery to promote conservation.

“This clearly acknowledges the problems we face and reflects a realization by lawmakers that we can’t continue to postpone dealing with overfishing and the destruction of marine habitat,” said Josh Reichert, head of the Pew Charitable Trust’s environmental program.

Commercial fishing interests, Bush administration officials and GOP lawmakers also praised the legislation.

“Fishermen and conservationists are all getting something they can be proud of in this bill, and they can rest assured that this bill maintains a critical balance in fisheries management,” said House Resources Committee Chairman Richard Pombo, R-Calif. “While it is important to protect our nation’s fish stocks, it’s equally important to protect our nation’s vital and deep-rooted fishing communities. This bill does just that.”