NOAA AWARDS $4.3 MILLION TO THE
PACIFIC STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded three grants totaling more than $4.3 million to the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission (PSMFC). NOAA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The three grants will assist the commission in coordinating pinniped predation and population data collection; educational outreach, monitoring, research of aquatic nuisance species; and increased data availability for all PSMFC partner agencies. The PSMFC is one of three interstate commissions dedicated to resolving fishery issues. It represents California, Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska and addresses issues that fall outside state or regional management council jurisdiction. The goal of the PSMFC is to promote and support policies and actions directed at the conservation, development and management of fishery resources of mutual concern to member states.

“NOAA and the Bush Administration are working to improve the understanding of our environment and to strengthen local and regional initiatives such as the many programs and projects lead by the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission,” said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “This grant to the Commission will help advance knowledge critical to those efforts along the Pacific coast.”

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 33 years.

The Commerce Department’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (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.

On the Web:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: http://www.noaa.gov.

Conrad C. Lautenbacher: http://www.noaa.gov/lautenbacher.html