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This report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examines federal efforts to reduce and monitor unintentional catch and harm in fisheries management. Bycatch, which refers to fish and other marine species that are unintentionally caught or harmed, is a complex issue that threatens the sustainability of fishing communities and ocean ecosystems. The report highlights the individualized measures used by fishers to reduce bycatch, the challenges with collecting data on bycatch, and the need for better tracking and reporting of bycatch estimates. The GAO makes several recommendations to improve the management of bycatch, including identifying resource needs for observer programs and updating the bycatch reduction implementation plan with measurable goals. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports that fisheries managers comprised of eight Regional Fishery Management Councils and the National Marine Fisheries Service's Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Division have generally used climate information to a limited extent in fisheries management activities. Topics include examines many fisheries managers are leading initiatives that could advance the use of climate information in management.