Improving the use of the "best scientific information available" standard in fisheries management / Committee on Defining Best Scientific Information Available for Fisheries Management, Ocean Studies Board, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council of the National Academies.

Format:

Book

Government document

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Defining Best Scientific Information Available for Fisheries Management.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Fishery management--United States.

Fishery management.

Aquatic resources--Management--United States.

Aquatic resources.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xii, 105 pages) : illustrations, map

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academies Press, 2004.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Under the Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Conservation and Management Act (FCMA), managers are required to use the oebest scientific information available in the preparation of federal fishery management plans (National Standard 2 in the FCMA). However, the Act provides no further guidance as to how conformance to this standard should be determined. Because adherence to this standard has often been contentious, Congress has considered adding a definition for what constitutes oebest scientific information available in the reauthorization of the FCMA. This report examines both the current application and the controversy over the standard and concludes that a legislative definition would be too inflexible to accommodate regional differences and future advances in science and technology. Instead, the report recommends that NOAA Fisheries adopt procedural guidelines to ensure that the scientific information used in the development of fishery management plans is relevant and timely and is the product of processes characterized by inclusiveness, transparency and openness, timeliness, and peer review.

Contents:

FrontMatter

Preface

Acknowledgments

Contents

Executive Summary

1 Introduction

2 National Standard 2: From Origin to Application

3 Characterizing "Best Scientific Information Available"

4 Findings and Recommendations

References

Appendixes

Appendix A Committee and Staff Biographies

Appendix B Participants at the Workshop on Defining Best Available Science for Fisheries Management

Appendix C Questionnaires Sent to Fishery Management Councils and Fisheries Science Centers

Appendix D Regulations Supporting Fishery Management Plan Development and National Standard 2 of the Magnuson-Stevens Act

Appendix E Acronyms

Appendix F Compilation of Science Center and Management Council Reports and Committees

Appendix G Scientific Information in Fisheries Management: The Report of a Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education Fisheries Workshop

Appendix H Recent Case Law Support for Guidelines on "Best Scientific Information Available".

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-65).

ISBN:

9786610175963

9780309165822

0309165822

9781280175961

1280175966

9780309533478

0309533473

OCLC:

57734972