16 U.S.C. § 953 : US Code - Section 953: General Advisory Committee and Scientific Advisory Subcommittee

Search 16 U.S.C. § 953 : US Code - Section 953: General Advisory Committee and Scientific Advisory Subcommittee

(a) Appointments; public participation; compensation
The Secretary, in consultation with the United States
Commissioners, shall -
(1) appoint a General Advisory Committee which shall be
composed of not less than 5 nor more than 15 persons with
balanced representation from the various groups participating in
the fisheries included under the conventions, and from
nongovernmental conservation organizations;
(2) appoint a Scientific Advisory Subcommittee which shall be
composed of not less than 5 nor more than 15 qualified scientists
with balanced representation from the public and private sectors,
including nongovernmental conservation organizations;
(3) establish procedures to provide for appropriate public
participation and public meetings and to provide for the
confidentiality of confidential business data; and
(4) fix the terms of office of the members of the General
Advisory Committee and Scientific Advisory Subcommittee, who
shall receive no compensation for their services as such members.
(b) Functions
(1) General Advisory Committee
The General Advisory Committee shall be invited to have
representatives attend all nonexecutive meetings of the United
States sections and shall be given full opportunity to examine
and to be heard on all proposed programs of investigations,
reports, recommendations, and regulations of the Commission. The
General Advisory Committee may attend all meetings of the
international commissions to which they are invited by such
commissions.
(2) Scientific Advisory Subcommittee
(A) Advice
The Scientific Advisory Subcommittee shall advise the General
Advisory Committee and the Commissioners on matters including -

(i) the conservation of ecosystems;
(ii) the sustainable uses of living marine resources
related to the tuna fishery in the eastern Pacific Ocean; and
(iii) the long-term conservation and management of stocks
of living marine resources in the eastern tropical Pacific
Ocean.
(B) Other functions and assistance
The Scientific Advisory Subcommittee shall, as requested by
the General Advisory Committee, the United States
Commissioners, or the Secretary, perform functions and provide
assistance required by formal agreements entered into by the
United States for this fishery, including the International
Dolphin Conservation Program. These functions may include -
(i) the review of data from the Program, including data
received from the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission;
(ii) recommendations on research needs, including
ecosystems, fishing practices, and gear technology research,
including the development and use of selective,
environmentally safe and cost-effective fishing gear, and on
the coordination and facilitation of such research;
(iii) recommendations concerning scientific reviews and
assessments required under the Program and engaging, as
appropriate, in such reviews and assessments;
(iv) consulting with other experts as needed; and
(v) recommending measures to assure the regular and timely
full exchange of data among the parties to the Program and
each nation's National Scientific Advisory Committee (or its
equivalent).
(3) Attendance at meetings
The Scientific Advisory Subcommittee shall be invited to have
representatives attend all nonexecutive meetings of the United
States sections and the General Advisory Subcommittee and shall
be given full opportunity to examine and to be heard on all
proposed programs of scientific investigation, scientific
reports, and scientific recommendations of the commission.
Representatives of the Scientific Advisory Subcommittee may
attend meetings of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission in
accordance with the rules of such Commission.