In a June 22, 2009 press release, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco announced creation of a Catch Share Task Force to assist NOAA and the regional fishery management councils as they consider and implement catch share management programs. The press release named 18 individuals to the Task Force and outlined five objectives for the Task Force to consider.
| 1. |
Principles for a new NOAA policy on catch shares that ensures that catch shares are fully considered when councils take up fishery management plan amendments. |
| 2. |
Ways to make sure councils that want to move forward with catch shares have the technical and administrative support to move quickly to design a catch share systems while empowering local fishermen to be part of the process. |
| 3. |
Ways to ensure that catch share designs achieve the best possible environmental and economic performance by supporting healthy ecosystems, reducing bycatch and habitat damage, and helping to meet annual catch limits. |
| 4. |
Organizational changes to be considered within NOAA to provide the best possible communication and support. |
| 5. |
Advice to the Under Secretary on how to allocate resources to the councils to support this work, and how to create milestones so that progress can be evaluated. |
Below are Task Force status reports, stakeholder session summaries, and meeting summaries.
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