27 



billfish) have been the Secretary's responsibility since passage 

 of amendments to the ATCA in 1990. The ATCA provides the 

 Secretary with the regulatory authority to implement 

 recommendations of the International Commission for the 

 Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) for tunas, swordfish, and 

 billfish. The 1990 amendments to ATCA indicated that species 

 working groups should be established to provide ICCAT 

 Commissioners and the ICCAT Advisory Committee with advice on 

 highly migratory species (HMS) . Such species working groups have 

 been established for bluefin tuna, other tunas, billfish, and 

 swordfish. These working groups are comprised of members from 

 both the ICCAT Advisory Committee itself as well as other 

 organizations (including the fishing industry) . 



Role of the Department and NMFS 



The role of the Secretary, and more specifically of NMFS, is to 

 implement ICCAT recommendations through domestic policy, either 

 by way of ATCA regulations or through Magnuson Fishery 

 Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson Act) fishery management 

 plans (FMP) and implementing regulations. NMFS has established a 

 Highly Migratory Species Division within the Office of Fisheries 

 Conservation and Management to meet the management obligations as 

 required under the ATCA, as well as the Magnuson Act. The HMS 

 Division works closely with our Regional Offices and Science 

 Centers, the Regional Fishery Management Councils (Councils) , 

 ICCAT Commissioners, the fishing industry, and others in 



