CONTACT: Gordon Helm               FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                   8/27/97

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration today called for nominations to an advisory panel that will assist NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service in the collection and evaluation of information on future management of the fisheries for Atlantic tunas, swordfish and sharks.

The advisory panel will be formed to meet requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Panel members will assist the fisheries service in meeting new requirements of the Magnuson-Stevens Act, including development of rebuilding programs for overfished fisheries for Atlantic highly migratory species (HMS). The fisheries service will consult with the advisory panel throughout the process of developing a management plan for Atlantic tunas, swordfish and sharks.

One of the fisheries service's long-term goals for HMS management is to better coordinate the management of Atlantic tunas, swordfish and sharks. The fisheries service has concluded that one fishery management plan and one advisory panel is the most effective way to manage these related fisheries. To address concerns over individual species, the fisheries service will adopt an extended meeting period approach for the panel, establish species working groups (composed of panel members with particular species interests), and set a detailed agenda for each species. The fisheries services believes this action will allow members to address their species-of-concern at relevant portions of the meeting.

Nominations should include:

1. The name of the applicant or nominee and a description of their interest in or connection with highly migratory species (HMS) or one species in particular from among sharks, swordfish, and tunas;

2. A statement of background and/or qualifications;

3. A written commitment that the applicant or nominee shall actively participate in good faith in the tasks of the AP.

Criteria for membership include one or more of the following: (a) Experience in the recreational fishing industry involved in catching swordfish, tunas or sharks; (b) experience in the commercial fishing industry for HMS; (c) experience in connected industries (processing, marinas, bait and tackle shops); (d) experience in the scientific community working with HMS; (e) former or current representative of a private, regional, state, national, or international organization representing marine fisheries interests dealing with HMS. Selection of advisory panel members will not be limited to those who are nominated. Individuals nominated to the Atlantic Tunas Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee will be considered for membership.

Those nominees selected will represent a balance of recreational and commercial fishing interests and related industries, environmentalists, academics and government agencies. Meetings are expected to be held twice yearly. The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 14-16, 1997, in Silver Spring, Md.

Nominations to the HMS advisory panel can be sent to: Rebecca Lent, Chief, HMS Division, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD, 20910 or by fax to (301) 713-1917. The deadline for receiving nominations is: Sept. 12, 1997.

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