Mission Statement:
NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service
- NMFS) is a steward of living marine resources for
the benefit of the nation. To help accomplish this
mission the Ecosystem Assessment Division works with
partners such as our science centers and regional
offices, Regional Fishery Management Councils, and
state and territory governments, to develop and apply
interdisciplinary approaches to studying, monitoring,
and managing integrated marine and estuarine systems.
Specific objectives include:
- characterizing fish habitats within watershed
and coastal systems;
- managing NMFS-wide research, evaluation, mapping,
monitoring, protection;
- outreach initiatives and evaluating the cumulative
aspects of threats to ecosystems beginning with
coral reefs; and
- integrating appropriate conservation and restoration
measures.
A major element of Ecosystem Assessment Division
responsibilities is managing NOAA Fisheries involvement
in the NOAA
Coral Reef Conservation Program. The goals for
the NOAA Fisheries
Coral Reef Conservation Program are:
- to preserve, sustain, and restore the conditions
of the coral reef ecosystems and species that depend
on them;
- to improve our understanding of the diversity,
population dynamics, and biology of commercially
important coral reef species, ecosystem linkages
and habitat utilization patterns;
- to obtain sound scientific information needed
to manage coral reef ecosystem; and
- to promote the wise management of coral reef
fisheries and sustainable use of coral reef resources
for the benefit of local communities and the Nation.
NOAA Fisheries is able to fulfill these goals by
supporting coral reef conservation activities within
NMFS regional programs in the Atlantic
and Caribbean and the Pacific,
and through the coral reef conservation grant
programs.
The Ecosystem Assessment Division is working with
other organizations to develop a national marine habitat
classification scheme. This classification system
will help NOAA Fisheries identify essential
fish habitat and habitat areas of particular concern.
This will aid government agencies in managing fishery
resources through application of ecosystem approaches
to management.
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