MSA Peer Review Processes
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSA) specifies that the “Secretary and each Council may establish a peer review process for that Council for the scientific information used to advise the Council about the conservation and management of the fishery.” The MSA National Standard 2 provides guidance on the review of scientific information, and provides guidelines for this peer review process that satisfy the requirements of the Information Quality Act (44 U.S.C. 3516), including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Final Information Quality Bulletin for Peer Review. A summary of each regional peer review process which has been jointly established by the Secretary and the relevant regional fishery management council for review of scientific information used to advise the Council about the conservation and management of fisheries is described in a Federal Register announcement. These 5 regional peer review processes are listed below:
| Regional Peer Review Process | Description | Signed Agreement |
| Stock Assessment Workshop/Stock Assessment Review Committee (SAW/SARC) | Jointly established by the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), NMFS Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO), New England Fishery Management Council (NEFMC), Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC), and Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) to conduct the peer review of scientific stock assessment information used for fishery management in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. | Link |
| Southeast Data, Assessment and Review (SEDAR) | Jointly established by the NMFS Southeast Fisheries Science Center (SEFSC), NMFS Southeast Regional Office (SERO), Southeast Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC), Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council (GMFMC), and Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC). | Link |
| Stock Assessment Review (STAR) | Jointly established by the Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC), NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC), NMFS Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC), and NMFS West Coast Region (WCR). More detailed information about the STAR process can be found on the Council’s website at: http://www.pcouncil.org. | Link |
| North Pacific Stock Assessment Review (NPSAR) | Jointly established by the NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), NMFS Alaska Regional Fisheries Office (AKRO), and North Pacific Fishery Management Council (NPFMC). | Link |
| Western Pacific Stock Assessment Review (WPSAR) | Jointly established by the NMFS Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (PIFSC), NMFS Pacific Islands Regional Fisheries Office (PIRO), and Western Pacific Fishery Management Council (WPFMC). | Link |
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