Our practice is focused on the areas of the law that are directly or closely related to Fisheries & Maritime Law and Policy,
and Marine & Natural Resource Law.  The primary focus of our practice is the many aspects of Fisheries and Marine
Resource regulation, and Natural Resource regulation. We also regularly handle matters associated various other areas
of Environmental Law and Policy.  Our clientele includes individuals, commercial fishing associations and organizations,
citizen groups, nonprofit organizations, large and small businesses, governmental entities and state and private
universities.
Fisheries & Marine Resources Law
&
Natural Resources Law
If we can be of assistance to you or If you require the services of an attorney,
please contact us at:

Mike Mastry
Attorney & Counselor, P.A.
2101 - 5th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, Florida 33713
(727) 896-5191
(877) eco-atty (326-2889)
mmastry@ecoattorneys.com
Primary Practice Areas
Mike Mastry
ATTORNEY & COUNSELOR, P.A.
Relegating conservation to government is like relegating
virtue to the Sabbath.  It turns over to professionals what
should be the daily work of amateurs.

                           Aldo Leopold
Fisheries Law - Maritime Law - Marine Resource Regulation
Nationwide Practice

Our law firm makes use of pro hoc vice provisions within state and federal court rules to handle cases in jurisdictions
throughout the United States. Pro hoc vice provisions allow attorneys who are licensed to practice in one jurisdiction to
become temporarily admitted to practice in another jurisdiction without having to become a full member of that courts
bar. In our case, Mike Mastry is licensed to practice law by the Florida Bar, the Federal District Courts in Florida, and the
11th Circuit Court of Appeals. So, for example, if a client from Maine or Alaska retains our firm, Mike simply applies for
pro hoc vice admission to the appropriate state or federal court and he are allowed to handle the case for that client.



Fisheries & Maritime Law and Marine Resources

Our practice is primarily focused on the many aspects of the law associated with Fisheries & Maritime Law and Marine
Resource regulation. Mike has tried a number of cases under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and
Management Act, the Lacy Act and the Endangered Species Act, to name just a few. Mike also handles more traditional
Maritime issues such as vessel liens, purchase and sale of vessels, the lease and sale of fishing permits, and injuries
to seamen and harbor workers. The majority of the Fisheries and Marine Resource regulation cases that are filed by our
office are brought on behalf of individuals and organized groups of commercial or recreational fishermen. Cases are
regularly brought in state and federal courts to challenge the enactment of Fishery Management Plans and fisheries
resource regulations that are developed to implement Fishery Management Plans. Our exceptional knowledge and
understanding of federal fisheries regulations allows us to bring comprehensive yet focused challenges to
governmental actions that obtain the results that our clients seek.



Natural Resources

We also handle cases concerning Natural Resources other than Marine and Fishery Resources. These cases generally
include, but certainly are not limited to, Clean Water, Clean Air, and Endangered Species issues. We are regularly
retained to assist environmentally minded individuals and citizen groups with the legal aspects of a particular issue of
environmental concern. In many instances we are called upon to force a private or governmental entity to eliminate a
source of pollution and clean up any environmental damage that has been caused by the pollution. Often we are able to
bring cases to stop and cleanup environmental pollution under so called Citizen Suit provisions of state and federal
laws, which have mandatory penalties of up to $25,000 per day for violators. Citizen Suits also contain provisions for the
payment of all costs and fees (including attorneys fees)of the prevailing party, which must be paid by the losing party.
Citizen Suit provisions allow for individuals and groups of individuals who are adversely affected to bring a law suit to
address an issue of concern.

Citizen Suits are powerful tools that give private individuals the power to act as Citizen Attorney Generals and to correct
environmental wrongs. In providing for Citizen Suits congress realized that there is no way the government can possibly
prosecute all of the environmental regulatory violations occurring in the United States, therefore the people should have
the power to stand in the place of the government in certain instances and to right environmental wrongs. The
government has also recognized that individuals should not bear the costs of correcting environmental wrongs and,
therefore, has provided for the costs and fees associated with bringing a Citizen Suit action to be paid by the losing party.
We often handle Citizen Suit cases for no up-front fee to our clients and recoup the costs for our time and litigation only
after prevailing in the case.