NOAA Science Advisory Board

…advises the Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and the application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction.

NOAA Science Advisory Board

• Established by a Decision Memorandum on September 25, 1997

• Chartered under the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA)

• 15 Committee members provide Federal officials and the Nation with information and advice on science issues affecting NOAA policies and programs

NOAA Science Advisory Board• Under the provisions of FACA

– the public is afforded an opportunity to participate actively in NOAA’s decision making process

– SAB meetings are held at convenient locations and times and are reasonable accessible

– SAB meetings are announced through Federal Register Notices

– the minutes and agenda are available on the SAB web page, http://www.sab.noaa.gov

NOAA Science Advisory Board

• Public Input– sign-in for all participants and the audience– verbal input Tuesday 4:45 PM and Thursday

11:30 AM – verbal input limited to 5 minutes– provide written input to the Executive Director

prior to meeting adjournment on Thursday– written input will be published with the minutes

NOAA Science Advisory Board

• Logistics– Daily meeting agenda– Handouts– Comfort and convenience

DOC Aquaculture Policy

• In August 1999, the Secretary of Commerce signed the U.S. Department of Commerce Aquaculture Policy, which states that the Department and its bureaus will assist in the development of the domestic aquaculture industry in coming years.

• In order to ensure that all relevant future actions taken by DOC agencies to support aquaculture will help realize these goals, the following policy guidelines have been developed in recent months by an internal interagency task force.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines

• aquaculture \ n : the propagation and rearing of aquatic organisms in controlled or selected aquatic environments for any commercial, recreational, or public purpose

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines

• DOC will ensure that its programs and support activities are consistent with the DOC policy on aquaculture.

• DOC aquaculture activities and programs will take into consideration ecological, social, and economic needs, uses, and consequences when supporting aquaculture development.– The SAB could help define what it means to be

“environmentally responsible” to include a list of parameters relevant to aquaculture development.

• DOC will seek to foster partnerships with other Federal, State, and local government agencies as well as industry, academia, tribal nations and non-government organizations.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines

• DOC will consider the impacts of DOC-sponsored aquaculture research and development activities on protected species, genetic diversity, introduction or the spread of non-indigenous species, ecosystem balance, and aquatic diseases according to applicable laws and regulations.

– The SAB could help DOC identify what they believe to be the most important scientific issues to address so that these priorities can be appropriately funded.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines

• DOC will work with its partners to develop a more efficient and transparent regulatory, permit and policy framework for obtaining permits and leases in the EEZ and coastal waters.– DOC has developed draft legislation,“The National

Offshore Aquaculture Act,” that would require the development of environmental standards associated with the offer of offshore leases for aquaculture. If the legislation is enacted, DOC would ask the SAB to review the environmental standards during the development stage.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines

• DOC will, as appropriate, provide research, technology development, trade, marketing and financial assistance programs to further domestic aquaculture development.

• DOC will assist, where necessary and beneficial, in creating aquaculture development zones in the EEZ using Use Mapping, GIS and other technologies to identify the most appropriate areas for marine aquaculture.– The SAB may wish to review the results of research proposed

between the Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Program and the NOAA Coastal Science Center in South Carolina, which should begin in 2001.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines• DOC will provide programmatic and technical

information as well as outreach and education about aquaculture to the public and fishing/aquaculture related industry.– The SAB could provide a list of items or issues which they

believe need to be addressed and disseminated to the public, the scientific and/or environmental community, and others because there is a gap in information.

• DOC activities and support programs for aquaculture development will be consistent, to the maximum extent practicable, with federally approved Coastal Zone Management Programs.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines• DOC will support the development of aquaculture technologies

and methods to both improve production and safeguard the environment.– Suggestions from the SAB on technologies to safeguard the

environment and prevent pollution would be welcome as a guide for future funding.

• DOC agencies that conduct or support research directed at domesticating additional species will give preference to high-value species and to those that are least likely to create problems for the environment.– The SAB could help by suggesting specific species for

aquaculture development that are relatively unlikely to create environmental problems.

DOC Aquaculture Guidelines

• DOC will explore ways to create a single point-of-contact for all inquiries regarding aquaculture rules, regulations, programs, and/or funds that are available through the various agencies of the Department.