NOAA Fisheries:

Mission Stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management and the promotion of healthy ecosystems. Dr. Bill Hogarth, Assistant Administrator

NOAA Fisheries: History NOAA Fisheries is the oldest conservation agency in the Nation … Commission of Fish and Fisheries Bureau of Fisheries (DOC & Labor) Transferred to Dept. of Interior Bureau of Commercial Fisheries Executive Order creates NOAA and National Marine Fisheries Service Celebrated 130th Anniversary

NOAA Fisheries: Recreational Over 17 million participants Over 65 million fishing trips per year Over 135 thousand metric tons landed per year Economic impact of more than $30 billion Over $22 billion in related expenditures More than 349,000 jobs supported Over $12 billion in related personal incomes

NOAA Fisheries: Commercial Top U.S. Ports ($) New Bedford, MA $169 Million Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK $136 Million Hampton Roads, VA $68 Million Kodiak, AK $63 Million Empire-Venice, LA $54 Million Top U.S. Ports (Volume) Dutch Harbor-Unalaska, AK 908 Million Pounds Empire-Venice, LA 399 Million Pounds Reedville, VA 367 Million Pounds Intracoastal City, LA 358 Million Pounds Cameron, LA 350 Million Pounds Top Commercial Species ($) Shrimp$461 Million Crabs$397 Million Lobsters$318 Million Pollock$209 Million Scallops$204 Million Top Commercial Species (Volume) Pollock3.3 Billion Pounds Menhaden1.7 Billion Pounds Salmon567 Thousand Pounds Cod541 Thousand Pounds Flounders372 Thousand Pounds

VALUE OF U.S. SEAFOOD EXPORTS AND IMPORTS $ Billion ExportsImports SOURCE: DOC, U.S. Bureau of the Census

NOAA’s Mission To understand and predict changes in Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the Nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs.

NOAA Fisheries How We Fit In NOAA… Goal 1: Ecosystems  Habitat Restoration  Corals  Protected Species Management  Fisheries Management  Aquaculture  Enforcement  Ecosystem Research  Ecosystem Observations Goal 2: Climate  Assess and Predict Programs to Support All Goals  Facilities Indicates Matrix Managed Lead

2004: Rebuilding Fisheries NOAA Fisheries has responsibly managed over 900 fish stocks that support a $60 billion recreational and commercial fisheries contribution to the U.S. economy. In the last 4 years: 17 major stocks have been rebuilt or removed from the list of overfished stocks (dropping from 56 to 39) Over 93 percent of the remaining overfished stocks have rebuilding plans in place The number of species subject to overfishing has decreased by 37 (48 percent) The number of stocks with an “unknown” status level has decreased by 48 (25 percent)

2004: Improving the Process NOAA Fisheries’ Regulatory Streamlining Project improved the efficiency and effectiveness of its regulatory operations, decreased policy vulnerability to legal challenges, and reduced burden on the affected public. Substantial investments in National Environmental Policy Act coordination and training improved the quality and timeliness of agency Environmental Impact Statements. NOAA has pioneered in the Department of Commerce the use of electronic technology for rulemaking and comments. Quality improvements in the regulatory process resulted in improved litigation success rates – from 45 percent ( ) to 78 percent ( ).

2004: Partnerships NOAA Fisheries has created new partnerships to ensure that agency, national and international stewardship goals were achieved. NOAA Fisheries helped lead and support the 53-nation effort to conduct the international Census of Marine Life. Over the last 4 years, a nationwide cooperative research program has awarded over $70 million for projects, including 30 grants per year, and funded seven additional resource surveys providing over 2,000 chartered days-at-sea per year. At the community level, NOAA Fisheries has also provided $24.6 million since 2001 to nearly 650 grass-roots habitat restoration projects.

2004: Sea Turtle Conservation Collaborative NOAA Fisheries-industry bycatch reduction research lowered the risk of extinction of sea turtles to allow shrimp and longline fisheries worth more than $450 million annually to take place. Working with fishermen, NOAA Fisheries developed a new Turtle Excluder Device for the Gulf and South Atlantic shrimp fishery. Research on fishing techniques and circle hooks produced new longline fishing practices with world-wide applicability to reduce leatherback and loggerhead sea turtle-fishing interactions.

2004: Improving Science NOAA Fisheries significantly advanced science quality in NOAA’s ecosystem mission through collection of new data, development of new research programs, and adoption of new science protocols: Placing more observers onboard vessels Reducing the shortfall in required fishery research vessel days- at-sea Initiation of $4 million in new economic and other social science data collections Creating more sophisticated fishery stock assessment models Implementing a Science Quality Assurance program

NOAA Fisheries: 2005 I have asked NOAA Fisheries leadership to accomplish several major goals this year. They include: Improve overall management of the Highly Migratory Species Division -- Due Date: February 28, 2005 Coordinate succession plans for international commissioner positions -- Due Date: March 15, 2005 Examine present practices and location of Observer Program, Cooperative Research, Statistics, Science and Social Science – Due Date: February 28, 2005 Develop program for the Office of Constituent Services to meet overall objectives –Due Date: February 28, 2005

Office of Protected Resources will prepare a summary of the present recovery plans and targets – Due Date: January 31, 2005 Office of Protected Resources will develop a draft Operating Plan for PR issues within the Intergovernmental Office – Due Date: January 31, 2005 Develop criteria/guidelines for discussion of IFQs with fishery management councils. Draft to be prepared for discussion at Council Chairs Meeting in April 2005 Agency will develop a plan for a Council Training Program – Due Date: February 28, 2005 Establish a working group to develop a National Permit System – Due Date: TBD NOAA Fisheries: 2005, contd.

Develop regional, science center and council Five-Year Plans – Submit schedule by March 31, 2005 FY 2005 Budget – Agency has developed a schedule for: - FY 2005 increases/decreases spending plans and options - Allocations to Regions, Centers, Headquarters Offices - Region, Center and Headquarters budget meeting with F - End of Year follow-up on budget execution and accomplishment s Develop a series of policy discussion papers on Distinct Population Segments – Schedule to be determined by February 28, 2005 Plan and conduct a Workshop on Managing Recovering Populations – Outline and schedule by February 28, 2005

2005 Events Outreach Activities for 2005 – Council National Meeting – March State Directors – April Council Chair/Executive Directors Meeting – April National Data Workshop – Steve Murawski/Preston Pate (NC) – Schedule due February 28, 2005 Capacity Workshop with Industry – Schedule by January 31, 2005 Magnuson-Stevens Act Reauthorization – continuing Aquaculture – Legislation – continuing Workshop on Fishing Mortality-Based Management – Schedule by February 28, 2005