Geographic Strategic Plan Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Greater Atlantic Region Geographic Strategic Plan

Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office and Northeast Fisheries Science Center 2020-2023

1. Correspondence (June 11-13, 2019) M

#14a

Presentation Outline

• Background information on

previous plans

• National and Regional

Planning

• Strategic Goals
• Input on our “local

landscape”

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 2

Current Strategic Plans

• Center and Regional Office strategic plans were

done independently – some inconsistencies

• GARFO Plan 2015-2019
• Established vision, goals, and objectives
• Roles, responsibilities and tasks for all divisions
• NEFSC Plans
• Vision and mission objectives
• Strategic Science Plan 2016-2021
• Director’s Annual Guidance Memo

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 3

NOAA Strategic Planning Shift

• Shift from independent to Joint Geographic Strategic

Plans for each region

• Improves coordination between NEFSC and GARFO
• Geographic Strategic Plans share the same strategic

goals as the NOAA Fisheries National Plan

• More consistency throughout NOAA
• Identify region-specific issues, challenges, and

risks to….

• Develop region-specific management strategies to

achieve goals

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 4

Strategic Goals

• 1. Amplify the economic value of

sustainable commercial and recreational fisheries

• 2. Conserve and recover protected

species while supporting responsible fishing and resource development

• 3. Improve organizational excellence

and regulatory efficiency

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 5

The Local Landscape

• Must be strategic and willing to move in new

directions to adjust to an evolving environment

• Focusing on prioritizing challenges and new
• pportunities
• Consider critical needs and organizational limits
• This is where we are asking for specific feedback

from the Councils

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 6

Issues We Have Identified

• Rebuilding overfished stocks in a manner that promotes

fishing industry resilience

• Protecting endangered species and marine mammals

while promoting responsible resource use

• Changing climate, oceanic conditions, and coastal

habitat affecting distribution, productivity, and sustainability of fish and other marine species and ecosystems

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 7

Issues We Have Identified (continued)

• Ocean acidification as a growing concern affecting

fisheries, aquaculture, and marine ecosystems

• Marine, estuarine, and riverine habitat loss
• Increasing demands (e.g., offshore wind energy,

hydropower, infrastructure, new fisheries, and aquaculture) on resources and resources users

• Identifying ecosystem-level species interactions and

habitat productivity

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 8

Challenges We Are Envisioning

• Maintaining an adequate level of surveys and population

assessments for marine resource management

• Meeting the increased needs for assessment data and

modeling capabilities to provide the most accurate catch advice

• Addressing fisheries allocation issues in light of changes

in fishery conditions, science, and management

• Reducing regulatory burden while ensuring sustainable

fisheries and protecting marine species

• Promoting fishing community resiliency

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 9

Challenges We Are Envisioning (continued)

• Increasing catch of underutilized commercial fish

stocks

• Improving stability and opportunity in U.S.

recreational fisheries

• Reducing bycatch of non-target species while

supporting commercial and recreational fisheries

• Improving data collection processes and promoting

efficient data integration

• Innovative technologies hold promise but

development and implementation are difficult

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 10

Risks We Are Anticipating

• NOAA’s aging infrastructure and

availability/dependability of vessels could impact data collection critical for resource management

• Enhancing our science and

management capabilities to ensure the coexistence of sustainable fisheries and mixed-ocean uses

• A greater workload than the available

resources can address requires a priority-based approach (i.e., some workload will not be addressed)

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 11

Process and Timeline

• 1. Request for all comments from Councils by June 28
• 2. We will revise the draft plan based on Council input
• 3. We share our revised draft with NMFS program
• ffices (Habitat conservation, Protected Resources,

Sustainable Fisheries, International Affairs, etc.)

• 4. Provide final draft to ASMFC and Councils by early

August/September meetings

• 5. Submit final plan to headquarters in early October

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 12

Common Questions and Answers

Question – Why is NOAA only asking for our input on the “local landscape” Answer – We are trying to bring greater connectivity and consistency between our national and regional goals. These are the goals that NOAA has elected to focus

• n.

Question – This seems very general and high level. Where are the details? Answer – We plan to develop additional Appendices that will include more detailed

• perational and implementation plans.

Question – When will this plan be complete? Answer – We anticipate finalizing the strategic plan this fall. Implementation details will be developed after that.

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 13

Discussion

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | NOAA Fisheries | Page 14

• Are there any issues unique to our management

region that we have not identified?

• What challenges do you envision we will spend
• ur most time addressing?
• What risks do you perceive as potentially

impacting our ability to be successful?

• What are we missing?