[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 235 (Monday, December 8, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68357-68358]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-30381]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[I.D. 112503B]


Draft Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research (2004)

AGENCY: National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice of availability; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY:  NMFS announces the availability of and seeks public comment 
on the draft NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research (2004). The 
Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA) 
requires the Secretary of Commerce to develop, triennially, a strategic 
plan for fisheries research for the subsequent years. Any written 
comments on the draft plan will be considered by NMFS in the 
development of the final NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research 
(2004).

DATES:  Comments on the draft NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries 
Research (2004) will be accepted on or before January 7, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments on and requests for copies of the draft NMFS 
Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research (2004) should be directed to Mark 
Chandler, Research, Analysis, and Coordination Division, Office of 
Science and Technology, NMFS, NOAA, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver 
Spring, MD 20910. PHONE: (301) 713-2363. FAX: (301) 713-1875.
    Electronic Access: The draft NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries 
Research (2004) may be reviewed in its entirety

[[Page 68358]]

on the World Wide Web at http://www.st.nmfs.gov/st2/index.html

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Mark Chandler at 301-713-2363 ext. 
152, e-mail: [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 404 of the MSFCMA requires the 
Secretary of Commerce to publish in the Federal Register a strategic 
plan for fisheries research for the 5 years immediately following it's 
publication. The MSFCMA requires that the plan address four major areas 
of research: (1) Research to support fishery conservation and 
management; (2) conservation engineering research; (3) research on the 
fisheries; and (4) information management research. The MSFCMA 
specifies that the plan shall contain a limited number of priority 
objectives for each of these research areas; indicate goals and 
timetables; provide a role for commercial fishermen in such research; 
provide for collection and dissemination of complete and accurate 
information concerning fishing activities; and be developed in 
cooperation with the Councils and affected states.
    This draft plan is based upon and entirely consistent with the 
overarching NOAA Fisheries Strategic Plan (NFSP) recently released in 
July 2003. The objectives under each goal in the draft NMFS Strategic 
Plan for Fisheries Research (2004) correspond to strategies in the 
NFSP.
    The scope of the NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research (2004) 
is solely fisheries research to support the MSFCMA. It does not include 
the regulatory and enforcement components of the NMFS mission. NMFS 
currently conducts a comprehensive program of fisheries research and 
involves industry and others interested in fisheries in planning and 
implementing its objectives.
    NMFS intends that the final version of the NMFS Strategic Plan for 
Fisheries Research (2004) will take advantage of information and 
recommendations from all interested parties. Therefore, comments and 
suggestions on this draft NMFS Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research 
are hereby solicited from the public, other concerned government 
agencies, the scientific community, industry, and any other person.

    Dated: November 25, 2003.
Dr. William Fox, Jr.,
 Director, Office of Science and Technology, National Marine Fisheries 
Service.
[FR Doc. 03-30381 Filed 12-5-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S