NOAA FISHERIES: Office of International Affairs

Welcome to the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs

Our Vision: All people benefiting from healthy and diverse marine ecosystems.

Our Mission: The stewardship of transboundary and other living marine resources and their ecosystems, through leadership and participation in domestic and international activities.

The NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs works with a variety of domestic and international partners to strive to accomplish the following goals and objectives in support of our mission and vision:

  • Promote ecosystem-based fisheries management
  • Control fishing capacity
  • Combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing
  • Strengthen regional fisheries management organizations
  • Secure equitable access for U.S. fishers to shared living marine resources
  • Increase assistance to developing states
  • Ensure food security

We accomplish our mission by:

  • Participating in regional fisheries management organizations
  • Participating in multilateral and bilateral environmental agreements/foras
  • Participating in free trade negotiations
  • Conducting workshops on living marine resource issues
  • Building partnerships to improve marine conservation

NOAA Fisheries is seeking information on nations whose vessels are engaged in illegal, unreported, or unregulated (IUU) fishing, bycatch of protected marine species, and/or fishing activities that target or incidentally catch sharks in waters beyond any national jurisdiction; responses needed by April 30
Significant Developments
  • Second Biennial Report to    Congress, Which Identifies    Nations Whose Fishing    Vessels are Engaged in IUU    Fishing.
  • Final Rule to Establish    Procedures for the    Identification and    Certification of Nations    Whose Vessels are    Engaged in IUU Fishing or    Bycatch of Protected    Living Marine Resources.
  • Capacity Building: West    African Observer Manual
  • Proposed and Final Rules    on Implementation of    Regional Fishery    Management Organizations'    Measures Pertaining to    Vessels that Engaged in    Illegal, Unregulated, and    Unreported Fishing    Activities
  • IUU Fishing Vessel Lists
  • Worldwide Bycatch of    Cetaceans
  • Petition for Rulemaking    under MMPA sec. 101(a)    (2)(A) for Swordfish    Imports.
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