NOAA AWARDS MORE THAN $1.7 MILLION
TO SUPPORT GULF OF MEXICO FISHERY MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION EFFORTS
Grant Administered by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently awarded a $1,729,854 grant to the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to support the continued creation and implementation of fishery management plans and conservation efforts. NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The funding will support the council’s activities as outlined in the nation’s federal fisheries law, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. The Gulf Council is responsible for continued progress on the development of fishery management plans, amendments and harvest rules for a variety of species and habitat concerns, such as Gulf shrimp, reef fish, coastal migratory pelagics (king and Spanish mackerel), spiny lobster, corals, stone crab, aquaculture operations, essential fish habitat and deep-water crabs.

The Gulf Council will develop Individual Fishing Quota systems for the red snapper, red grouper and king mackerel fisheries, and will develop a fishery ecosystem management plan and comprehensive amendments to adjust existing fishery management plans. The goals and objectives of the council are to end overfishing, rebuild overfished stocks and address fish habitat and bycatch issues.

“This grant allows the Gulf Council to continue to develop strategies and fishery management plans that provide sound and responsible management of our important fishery resources,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “NOAA and the Bush Administration are working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen regional initiatives. NOAA works with the Council, local governments as well as the academic and scientific communities on initiatives such as fishery management plan development in an effort to promote cooperative conservation.”

Each year, NOAA awards approximately $900 million in grants to members of the academic, scientific and business communities to assist the agency in fulfilling its mission to study the Earth’s natural systems in order to predict environmental change, manage ocean resources, protect life and property, and provide decision makers with reliable scientific information. NOAA goals and programs reflect a commitment to these basic responsibilities of science and service to the nation for the past 35 years.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. To learn more about NOAA, please visit http://www.noaa.gov.