NOAA Fisheries:2004 - 2005

NOAA Fisheries:2004 - 2005

NOAA Fisheries: 2004-2005NOAA Fisheries: 2004-2005Mission

Stewardship of living marine resources through science-based conservation and management and the promotion of healthy ecosystems.

Dr. Bill Hogarth, Assistant Administrator

NOAA Fisheries: HistoryNOAA Fisheries: HistoryNOAA Fisheries is the oldest conservation agency in the Nation ….

1871 - Commission of Fish and Fisheries1903 - Bureau of Fisheries (DOC & Labor)1939 - Transferred to Dept. of Interior1956 - Bureau of Commercial Fisheries1970 - Executive Order 11564 creates NOAA and National Marine Fisheries Service2001 - Celebrated 130th Anniversary

NOAA Fisheries: Recreational

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: CommercialNOAA 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)Pollock 3.3 Billion Pounds

Menhaden 1.7 Billion Pounds

Salmon 567 Thousand Pounds

Cod 541 Thousand Pounds

Flounders 372 Thousand Pounds

VALUE OF U.S. SEAFOOD EXPORTS AND IMPORTSVALUE OF U.S. SEAFOOD EXPORTS AND IMPORTS 1984 - 2003

84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03

0

2

4

6

8

10

12$ Billion

Exports ImportsSOURCE: DOC, U.S. Bureau of the Census

NOAA’s MissionNOAA’s MissionTo 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 FisheriesNOAA FisheriesHow 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 Fisheries2004: Rebuilding FisheriesNOAA 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 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 (1997-2001) to 78 percent (2002-2004).

2004: Partnerships2004: PartnershipsNOAA 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 Conservation2004: Sea Turtle ConservationCollaborative 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 Science2004: Improving ScienceNOAA 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.

NOAA Fisheries: 2005, contd.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 accomplishments

• 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 Events2005 EventsOutreach 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

Bill.Hogarth@noaa.govBill.Hogarth@noaa.gov