The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded a $638,250 grant to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC) to gather information from constituent groups who have a stake in Pacific fishery management.

The grant will fund a project entitled, “The Constituency Perspective: A Bottom-Up Understanding of the U.S. Fisheries Management Culture and The Public They Represent.” The PSMFC will conduct meetings and research to assemble a comprehensive document that provides an analysis of the diverse opinions, attitudes and perspectives of marine resource stakeholders as they relate to broad themes in fisheries management. The series of regional meetings will include fishermen, environmental groups, recreational users, government agencies and members of academia, and will be a mechanism to provide an unbiased forum for all sectors to discuss, explain, and identify possible solutions to resolve fisheries management issues.

“This grant allows the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission to protect valuable fishery resources and promote economic opportunities at a regional level. By gathering all interested parties, the Commission and NOAA are able to gauge and address issues important to our constituents,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA and the Bush Administration are committed to working with our regional partners to improve the understanding and management of Pacific fisheries.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property and provide decision-makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA’s goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 34 years.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources.

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