FACACLASSIC

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DOC - 359 - Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee - Agency Authority

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee	Agency Name	Department of Commerce
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	359
Original Establishment Date	2/17/1971	Committee Status	Terminated
Actual Termination Date	2/28/2025	Committee URL	https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/topic/partners#m...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	21
Terminated This FY	Yes	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	DFO
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix	Ms.
Current Charter Date	4/9/2024	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	Heidi
Date Of Renewal Charter	4/9/2026	Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Lovett
Exempt From Renewal*	No	Designated Federal Officer Suffix
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(301) 427-8034
Establishment Authority*	Agency Authority	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	301-713-1940
Specific Establishment Authority*	Secretary's Decision Memorandum	Designated Federal Officer Email*	heidi.lovett@noaa.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	12/28/1970
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	National Policy Issue Advisory Board

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Terminate
Legislation to Terminate Required	No
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	MAFAC advised the Secretary of Commerce on policies and guidance for stewardship of the Nation’s living marine resources. The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (or designee) and the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries actively participated and identified topics for deliberation by the Committee that were timely and relevant to the Secretary. MAFAC in return provided recommendations to the Secretary and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) regarding policies, regulations, and programs that are the responsibility of the Department. As a national advisory group, MAFAC provided a public forum where candid discussions on complex issues of resource management and science could occur. During these discussions, various options and concerns were examined, objectives identified, and mutual understanding developed. MAFAC provided input from a wide variety of constituencies to improve the agency’s knowledge, especially on proposals or work that stakeholders supported, as well as what could be controversial.
How is membership balanced?*	For over 50 years, MAFAC maintained a diverse group of professional and academic expert members who represent regional, tribal, and national perspectives on living marine resources. Through February 2025, the composition of the Committee balanced geographic and sectoral representation and included expertise in aquaculture; seafood and trade; commercial, recreational, subsistence fishing, and related industries; natural resource and protected species management; environmental issues; academia; and social, economic, and biological sciences. Per the approved Membership Balance Plan, “gender and ethnic diversity [were] considered in the selection of MAFAC members but [were] secondary to the subject matter expertise required and geography.” Balance was maintained by holding widely announced open nominations when vacancies occurred. Partner organizations and stakeholder groups received nomination announcements and were asked to widely distribute it, they were posted to the NOAA Fisheries website, distributed through NOAA Fisheries’ weekly e-Newsletter (reaching over 65,000 in FY2025), and these announcements are usually shared through trade news outlets. Each year we strived to increase our reach to various audiences through new outreach tools and engagement methods. The Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Department's Assistant Administrator for Fisheries served as ex officio members to the Committee. The executive directors of the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Interstate Fisheries Commissions served as non-voting ex officio members, as well. All members were recognized leaders in their field and contributed a wide range of knowledge and experience. The caliber of the membership was exemplified by the fact that periodically, members of MAFAC were to step down because they were nominated by their governors and appointed by the Secretary to serve on the regional fishery management councils. Similarly, some applicants who wanted to serve on MAFAC had past experience serving on regional fishery management councils.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	As required by the Charter, the full Committee met at least twice each calendar year in person or virtually, as needed. Topics for consideration on the agenda were derived from a mix of Department of Commerce (DOC) and NOAA current or forthcoming issues put forth by the agencies, as well as timely and relevant topics suggested or requested by MAFAC members. MAFAC continued to make policy recommendations on key programs and legislative initiatives that addressed the science and management of fisheries and protected species and emerging issues facing NOAA Fisheries. The detailed presentations and discussions that comprised all MAFAC meetings were necessary to support the thoughtful and deliberative work of the Committee. In FY2025, no meetings were held before MAFAC was terminated on February 28, 2025. MAFAC’s first in-person meeting had been scheduled for April 22-24, 2025 in Washington, DC. Subcommittee work had been in progress from October through February. The Protected Resources Subcommittee had received OMB approval to release a survey to gather knowledge and perceptions about the nature of marine mammal interactions and use of deterrents currently employed by commercial, recreational, and tribal fishermen; aquaculture farmers; and marina and coastal property owners and managers. It was developed in response to a request from NOAA Fisheries. The survey was open from September 23, 2024 through December 22, 2024, and MAFAC members began their analysis of the responses. The data was to be used to create an index to identify the relative effectiveness of different allowable deterrents used by various user groups nationwide to reduce the risk of property losses, damage, or catch losses, while preventing any harm to marine mammals. Members strived to finish their analysis to present findings and potential recommendations to the whole Committee at the April 2025 meeting. The Climate and Ecosystems Subcommittee was continuing their second phase of work focused on building climate-ready fisheries. To help NOAA Fisheries understand how to better support fishery resources, habitats, ecosystems, and fishing communities under changing ocean conditions, this second phase work focused on identifying and drafting recommendations to enhance science, management, communications, and coordination. They reflected on the discussions they had with local fishermen, processors, and community members they met in Kodiak, Alaska during their September 2024 meeting, and were including new topics and ideas gleaned from those conversations.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	As a unique national advisory committee comprised of individuals with diverse expertise in the fields of living marine resource management and science or representing an important stakeholder group, MAFAC had proven to be a valuable resource for NOAA, the Department, and Administration to identify common ground on which controversial and highly visible issues can move forward. MAFAC pre-dated FACA and was the oldest advisory body in NOAA, having advised on implementation of such landmark initiatives as the Law of the Sea and the original Fisheries Conservation and Management Act of 1976. It was the only FACA-chartered advisory committee with responsibility to "advise the Secretary on all living marine resources that are the responsibility of the Department of Commerce." Many marine resource management issues can be highly controversial and require a great deal of public transparency and consensus building. The MAFAC had become an increasingly useful asset for serving in this role, providing the agency and the Administration with a public sounding board to identify issues and develop strategies on which common ground and mutual agreement could be established. While regional commissions and councils exist, MAFAC was the only national, open, transparent organization focused on ocean policy and living marine resource stewardship from the unique perspective of stakeholders collaborating with the government to provide advice on national policy. MAFAC’s work aimed at supporting the mission and goals of NOAA Fisheries, NOAA, and the Department of Commerce. MAFAC meetings were open to the public and tended to be well attended. The detailed and explanatory discussions of complex issues provided the agency a degree of public education, which was proving increasingly valuable. MAFAC provided a valuable and candid forum for the anticipated debates revolving around the implementation of ocean management initiatives.
Why close or partially close meetings?	N/A.
Recommendation Remarks	MAFAC was a unique national advisory body with diverse expertise and member viewpoints on living marine resource conservation and management issues. NOAA and the Department of Commerce valued MAFAC’s policy advice and input on key marine resource issues, particularly controversial or challenging ones, as well as its open, transparent process. Per EO 14217, the Secretary of Commerce determined that the purposes for which the MAFAC was established have been fulfilled, and the committee has been terminated effective February 28, 2025.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	No	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	Yes	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	Yes	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	Yes	Action Other	Yes
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	Yes	Action Comment	MAFAC served as a forum in which draft initiatives were candidly discussed in an open forum allowing for Committee input to be taken into consideration before the agency took formal action. The Committee provided advice and feedback to the agency on strategic priorities, formal guidance documents, draft regulations, as well as on elements related to public outreach, constituent communication, and 'marketing messages' for complicated and/or controversial issues.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	Yes	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	Not Applicable	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	Although many MAFAC recommendations had been adopted by the agency, they normally took the form of general policy guidance, priorities, and advice, rather than specific regulatory or fisheries management actions for which benefit-cost computations are made. Members served in a voluntary capacity, and a rough approximation of the value of the time directly donated through MAFAC and its subcommittees was on the order of $200,000 -$350,000 per year.	Grants Review Comment	Not Applicable
Number Of Recommendations*	568	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	The MAFAC produced advisory recommendations when it finalized projects and completed reports. Much of its work took more than one year to finalize. Depending on the topic and work, the recommendations were concise and reasonably feasible for the agency to pursue, while others were complex and were detailed in lengthy reports. The answer to this question was an estimate based on the DFO and staff’s experience and tracking of recommendations since 2006 (prior to FY2006, the FACA did not require tracking recommendations). MAFAC recommendations were based on the work and activities undertaken by subcommittees, task forces, or working groups that were brought to the full Committee for deliberation and approval. Since no MAFAC meetings had convened in FY2025 before February 28, 2025, MAFAC did not finalize or adopt any formal recommendations in FY2025.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	65.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	The final report and minutes of each meeting, along with any advisory recommendations, were distributed throughout the agency and targeted the appropriate staff responsible for the issue of focus. The 65 percent was based on the most recent DFO's experience and not a reflection of what had been implemented over the lifetime of the Committee. Additionally, in some cases, MAFAC recommendations influenced the work of Fishery Management Councils, Commissions, and state agency partners.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	20.00%	Access Publications	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	This was an estimate. Some recommendations were individually very detailed and actionable; in other cases, an entire suite of recommendations was more policy-focused and not fully implementable in the short or medium term. It is important to note that in some years, recommendations to interagency bodies were beyond the sole control and authority of NOAA and the Department of Commerce.	Access Other	No
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	MAFAC reports, activities, and minutes are posted on a web page located on the agency's website, along with DFO contact information. In the fall of 2017, NOAA Fisheries created a more user-friendly website. Old reports and documentation not on the site are maintained per the customary records management regulations. Copies of past reports and documentation are available to the public by sending requests to the DFO or NOAA Fisheries Office of Policy.
Agency Feedback Comment*	At the beginning of each meeting, specific discussions, presentations, or recaps of what the agency did with MAFAC recommendations were provided in response to the most recent reports transmitted by the Committee. In addition, members of MAFAC were briefed by subject matter experts at each meeting on the progress and status of issues and questions raised by the Committee. Written reports, draft regulations, or policies were provided and discussed with the full Committee.	Narrative Description*	MAFAC was a national advisory body with diverse expertise and member viewpoints. As NOAA is a regulatory agency responsible for managing and sustaining living marine resources, many actions, decisions, and agency priorities were controversial. MAFAC provided a valuable forum by which controversial and key issues could be discussed, mutual understanding developed, and common ground established for expanded public dialogue and debate. The value and importance of this role continued through February 2025. MAFAC provided guidance and input on numerous topics, such as climate-ready fisheries and communities, enhanced seafood marketing opportunities, amplifying the economic and social value of commercial and recreational fisheries while ensuring their sustainability, and conserving and recovering protected species.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*	$0.00	1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*	$0.00
2. Payments to Federal Members*	$0.00	2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*	$0.00
3. Payments to Federal Staff*	$80,799.00	3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*	$0.00
4. Payments to Consultants*	$0.00	4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*	$0.00
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*	$0.00	5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*	$0.00
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*	$0.00	6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*	$0.00
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*	$0.00	7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*	$0.00
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*	$0.00	8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*	$0.00
10. Other Costs	$245.00	10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*	$0.00
11. Total Costs	$81,044.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	4/4/2025 5:32 PM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*	0.00
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*	0.80	Est Cost Remarks	This committee was terminated effective February 28, 2025; therefore, there are no estimated costs for FY 2026.
Cost Remarks	Overall costs were greatly reduced than projected because no in-person meetings were held between October 1, 2024 and February 28, 2025. No new travel costs were incurred, although a minor cost related to a bus rental for the Kodiak, AK meeting in September 2024 did accrue in FY2025 ($245). The primary costs for the first five months of FY2025 are salary costs equaling $80,799 (salary + benefits).

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Category Area Animals Fish and Wildlife Environment Environmental Issues Oceans and Atmospheric Sciences

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