2016 Revisions to National Standard 1 Guidelines

NOAA Fisheries has filed a final rule with the Federal Register to revise the guidelines for National Standards 1, 3, and 7 (NS1) of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) and the General section of those guidelines. This final rule is primarily focused on revising the National Standard 1 guidelines, which provides guidance on ending and preventing overfishing as well as achieving optimum yield from federal fisheries. The General Section of the National Standard guidelines as well as the National Standard 3 and 7 guidelines were also revised for streamlining purposes.

The purpose of the 2016 revisions to the NS1 guidelines was to improve and streamline the National Standard guidelines to enhance their utility for managers and the public and provide flexibility in meeting current Magnuson-Stevens Act mandates. The 2016 revisions to the NS1 guidelines do not establish new requirements or require councils to revise their current fishery management plans.

The revisions address a range of issues including:

Providing stability to fisheries
Adding flexibility to rebuilding plans
Updating optimum yield and maximum sustainable yield concepts
Improving guidance on managing data-limited stocks
Consolidating guidance on identifying stocks to be included in federal fishery management plans
Provisions to further advance ecosystem-based fisheries management