Fisheries issues will be the focus of the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Science Advisory Board meeting June 26-28 in Santa Cruz, Calif.

"We are bringing together all the elements within NOAA that deal with fisheries science issues," said Michael Uhart, SAB executive director. "This is also an opportunity for the public to provide input."

Open to the public, the meeting will be held from 1-5 p.m., June 26 at the National Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory, 110 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, Calif.

It will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 27; and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., June 28, at the West Coast Santa Cruz Hotel, 175 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, Calif.

Among the topics to be discussed are the role of academia and other NOAA partners in fisheries science, challenges of effective fisheries management and science practices, NOAA's fisheries science programs, and aquaculture guidelines.

Established by the U.S. Congress in 1997, the Science Advisory Board is the only federal advisory committee charged with the responsibility to advise NOAA's Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere on strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management.

Additional information, including the times for public comments and statements, can be found at http://www.sab.noaa.gov

For more information about NOAA, visit: http://www.noaa.gov