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Summary

NOAA Fisheries along with stakeholders, fishery management councils, fisheries organizations, and tribes are developing Regional Action Plans (RAPs) to prepare for and respond to climate impacts on marine and coastal resources. The objective of the RAPs is to develop regional implementation guidance of the seven objectives outlined in the 2015 NOAA Fisheries Climate Science Strategy for each region – Alaska, West Coast, Greater Atlantic, Pacific Islands, and Southeast and Caribbean – and to increase the production and use of information to support climate-informed fisheries management. The RAPs are intended to provide guidance to increase resilience and reduce climate impacts on fish stocks, fishing-dependent communities, and protected species, and to identify strengths, weaknesses, priorities, and actions to implement the Strategy in each region over the next five years. RAPs have been developed for the Northeast, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Islands, West Coast, and Alaska; planning is underway for the Southeast region.

Key strategies and actions:

• Incorporate climate change into stock assessments (e.g., document new species ranges and abundance, document food web impacts)

Citation

Score, A. 2016. Increasing Resilience Through NOAA Fisheries’ Regional Action Plans. Summary of a project from NOAA Fisheries produced for EcoAdapt’s State of Adaptation Program. Retrieved from CAKE: http://www.cakex.org/case-studies/increasing-resilience-through-noaa-fi… (Last updated August 2016)

Project Contact(s)

Dr. Jonathan HareDr. Heidi LovettRuth HowellDr. Jeffrey PolovinaMike Sigler

National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAA is an agency that enriches life through science. Our reach goes from the surface of the sun to the depths of the ocean floor as we work to keep citizens informed of the changing environment around them. From daily weather forecasts, severe storm warnings and climate monitoring to fisheries management, coastal restoration and supporting marine commerce, NOAA’s products and services support economic vitality and affect more than one-third of America’s gross domestic product.

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