Fisheries Science Quality Assurance: Provides coordination of NOAA Fisheries activities regarding the implementation of the Data Quality Act (DQA, also known as the Information Quality Act). Specifically, S&T Directorate staff chairs a network of DQA contacts from the Regions, Centers, and Headquarters to ensure timely communication and consistent application of DQA implementation policies and procedures. S&T Directorate staff also coordinates the development of NOAA Fisheries response to DQA requests for correction of information disseminated by NOAA Fisheries.

Ships and Aircraft: Coordinates NOAA Fisheries activities to obtain ship and aircraft support.

Clients and Partners

The principal client and partner of the Office of Science and Technology is NOAA Fisheries, its Offices and Boards, and the six Regional Offices and Science Centers. In addition, the Office serves and coordinates with:

• NOAA and other Federal agencies,
• States, Interstate Commissions, and local agencies that deal with the conservation and management of living marine resources,
• Academic institutions,
• International scientific and management organizations,
• Fishing and related industries, and
• Environmental, conservation, and other non-governmental organizations and public interest groups.

Products

The Office of Science and Technology provides:

• Leadership and management for activities related to the NOAA Fisheries Science Board.
• Coordination of scientific activities within the Agency.
• Development of quality assurance processes (e.g., national science quality peer review protocols).
• Coordination of international scientific activities such as scientific bilateral agreements.
• Participation in international scientific organizations.
• Monitoring of global trends in fisheries.
• Production of NOAA Fisheries scientific publications.
• Design and implementation of data collection programs and derivation, analyses, and dissemination of subsequent information and related products.
• The oversight role for nation-wide fisheries statistics and economics.

Authority

There are more than 100 legislative instruments under which NOAA Fisheries operates and receives its management authority. These include the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. These statutes require that NOAA Fisheries base its resource conservation and management decisions on sound scientific information.