U.S. Code > Title 16 Conservation > CHAPTER 16—TUNA CONVENTIONS (§§ 951—962) > § 953. General Advisory Committee and Scientific Advisory Subcommittee

§ 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.