Science Quality Assurance

The Office of Science and Technology provides national coordination of the NOAA Fisheries activities regarding the implementation of the Data Quality Act (DQA, known as the Information Quality Act). Pertinent activities include to strengthen integrity of scientific information through science program reviews of the NOAA Fisheries science centers and the scientific peer review process. External peer reviews are also conducted through the Center for Independent Experts (CIE). The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) mandates that fishery conservation and management measures be based on the best scientific information available. Therefore, NOAA Fisheries revised the National Standard 2 guidelines, a provision of the MSA, to strengthen the reliability and credibility of scientific information used in policy decisions for the conservation and management of living marine resources. The Office of Science and Technology provides oversight on the development of internal policies that are consistent with NOAA’s Scientific Integrity Policy that highlights the importance, as a science based agency, of the quality of scientific data, analyses, and information produced through agency activities to ensure the integrity of NOAA and NOAA Fisheries science enterprise.