Focus of Work: NOAA Fisheries and state resource management authorities are responsible for stewarding the marine fisheries, habitats and protected species of the United States. According to the latest Fisheries of the United States report, U.S. commercial fishermen landed 8.4 billion pounds of fish valued at $5.9 billion in 2022. Recreational fishing generated $138 billion in sales, supported 692,000 jobs, and contributed $74.9 billion in value-added impacts nationwide. Effective communication, collaboration, and information sharing among federal and state agencies is critical to the sustainable management of the nation’s fisheries.
Our Approach: Since 2014, Seatone has supported the NOAA Fisheries Leadership Team, state marine resource agency directors, and the interstate marine fisheries commissions to design and facilitate the biennial NOAA Fisheries-State Directors meeting. These meetings aim to enhance communication and collaboration among federal and state fishery managers. Seatone supports a steering committee to set meeting goals, identify priority topics, and develop strategies that promote collaborative management actions in support of sustainable fisheries. Seatone facilitates all elements of the meeting, helps the group forge agreements, then documents action items and steps ahead after the meeting.
Key Outcomes: Across each of these events (2014, 2016, 2018, 2022), Seatone has significantly enhanced communication and coordination among state and federal fishery managers, fostering stronger relationships along the way. Strategic collaboration has led to consensus federal/state agreements and actions related to, among other topics, how federal and state agencies coordinate on the annual federal budgeting process; climate change action planning; implementation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protected Act; aquaculture development; and joint enforcement of the National Recreational Fishing Policy. Planning is currently underway for the 2025 meeting.
