NOAA Fisheries is required by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to develop a Strategic Plan for Fisheries Research. The Act requires the plan to be updated every three years and to address four major areas: research to support fishery conservation and management, conservation engineering research, research on the fisheries, and information management. NOAA Fisheries has developed the strategic plan and is now seeking public comments on the draft document to ensure it is of the highest quality and responsive to stakeholders' needs.

NOAA Fisheries' scientific program consists of fisheries research and the publication of peer-reviewed studies and analyses. Agency scientists provide this information to industry, environmental groups, resource managers, and others who are dependent on fisheries science to accomplish their missions. NOAA Fisheries will accept comments on the draft plan through January 6, 2004. Comments may be sent to Mark Chandler, Research, Office of Science and Technology; NOAA Fisheries; 1315 East-West Highway; Silver Spring, MD 20910-3225; by fax to 301-713-1875, or e-mail to Mark.Chandler@noaa.gov The draft strategic research plan is available on NOAA Fisheries' Web site.