Draft MSA Section 404 Report to Congress

NOAA Fisheries conducts comprehensive research that helps us meet our mandates under the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA). The draft MSA Report to Congress: Section 404 Fisheries Research provides a five-year outlook on the science enterprise and research priorities of NOAA Fisheries, as specified in four key research areas prescribed by MSA Section 404:

• Research to support fishery conservation and management
• Conservation engineering research
• Research on the fisheries
• Information management research

The purpose of the NOAA Fisheries science enterprise is to ensure that the agency’s scientific products address the highest priority science needs and are of the highest possible quality. NOAA Fisheries’ Science Centers and laboratories, research vessels, and partnerships are critical to helping us fulfill our mission.

NOAA Fisheries strives to provide the best scientific information available to the American people. Vital to the success of that effort is improved communication among scientists, managers, fishermen and other stakeholders. Together we can continually improve the NOAA Fisheries science enterprise.