The objective of the review was to evaluate the sufficiency of NOAA's implementation and monitoring of a selection of catch share programs developed by FMCs.
WASHINGTON — May 5, 2014 — The following was released by the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Commerce:
The Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Commerce recently completed a review of NOAA's management of its catch share programs (report attached). This is the third report in a multiple-phase review of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Fishery Management Councils (FMC). The objective of the review was to evaluate the sufficiency of NOAA's implementation and monitoring of a selection of catch share programs developed by FMCs. For the six programs reviewed, the report identified several issues:
– The Pacific Sablefish Permit Stacking individual fishing quotas program does not have adequate data and NOAA is not monitoring to determine whether individual permits are exceeding their allowed landings. As a result, NOAA is not enforcing the limitation on landings per individual permit, and individual permits have exceeded their allowed landings without corrective action.
– The Golden Tilefish program did not have formal controls to ensure that shareholders with active sanctions were prevented from buying, selling, or transferring shares or allocation.
– The Alaska Halibut and Sablefish, Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper, and the South Atlantic Wreckfish catch share programs rely solely on self-certifications for evidence that shareholders meet some qualification criteria, such as U.S. citizenship required to own quota shares or allocation.
Also attached is the Audit Announcement of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Observer Program. The audit objective is to understand how effectively NMFS has evaluated fishery monitoring options, innovations and methods. As part of the audit, the team will assess NMFS' compliance with applicable laws, regulations and policies.
Read the Inspector General's Review of NOAA Catch Share Programs
Read the Audit Announcement of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Observer Program