ALEXANDRIA, Va. — February 6, 2014 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:
The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission unanimously approved its 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan at its 2014 Winter Meeting. The Plan revises the Commission’s long-term vision to “Sustainably Managing Atlantic Coastal Fisheries” and establishes seven major goals and related strategies to pursue this vision. The Strategic Plan will guide the Commission’s activities over the next five years and will be implemented through annual action plans.
“This Strategic Plan is the culmination of extensive and thoughtful strategic planning by my fellow Commissioners,” states Commission Chair Dr. Louis B. Daniel, III of North Carolina. “The document revises the Commission’s long-term vision, values, driving forces, and goals to better respond to new challenges and opportunities in Atlantic coast fisheries management. The Commissioners’ goal, through the review process, was to strengthen the Strategic Plan to make it more effective, concise, and accessible to the public. We are deeply grateful for the thoughtful input we received from our stakeholders, with more than 4,500 comments submitted during the public comment period. Commissioners were pleased to learn that an overwhelming majority of the public’s comments supported the direction of the Commission and we are committed to addressing the other issues raised through our annual action plans.”
The Plan’s seven goals are:
1. Rebuild, maintain, fairly allocate, and promote Atlantic coastal fisheries
2. Provide the scientific foundation for and conduct stock assessments to support informed management actions
3. Promote compliance with fishery management plans to ensure sustainable use of Atlantic coast fisheries
4. Protect and enhance fish habitat and ecosystem health through partnerships and education
5. Strengthen stakeholder and public support for the Commission
6. Advance Commission and member states’ priorities through a proactive legislative policy agenda
7. Ensure the fiscal stability & efficient administration of the Commission
The 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan is available on the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/files/pub/2014-2018StrategicPlan_Final.pdf.