PUBLIC LAW 109–479—JAN. 12, 2007
120 STAT. 3595
SEC. 109. WESTERN PACIFIC AND NORTH PACIFIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
Section 305 (16 U.S.C. 1855) is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: ‘‘(j) WESTERN PACIFIC AND NORTHERN PACIFIC REGIONAL MARINE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.— ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a pilot program for regionally-based marine education and training programs in the Western Pacific and the Northern Pacific to foster understanding, practical use of knowledge (including native Hawaiian, Alaskan Native, and other Pacific Islanderbased knowledge), and technical expertise relevant to stewardship of living marine resources. The Secretary shall, in cooperation with the Western Pacific and the North Pacific Regional Fishery Management Councils, regional educational institutions, and local Western Pacific and Northern Pacific community training entities, establish programs or projects that will improve communication, education, and training on marine resource issues throughout the region and increase scientific education for marine-related professions among coastal community residents, including indigenous Pacific islanders, Native Hawaiians, Alaskan Natives, and other underrepresented groups in the region. ‘‘(2) PROGRAM COMPONENTS.—The program shall— ‘‘(A) include marine science and technology education and training programs focused on preparing community residents for employment in marine related professions, including marine resource conservation and management, marine science, marine technology, and maritime operations; ‘‘(B) include fisheries and seafood-related training programs, including programs for fishery observers, seafood safety and seafood marketing, focused on increasing the involvement of coastal community residents in fishing, fishery management, and seafood-related operations; ‘‘(C) include outreach programs and materials to educate and inform consumers about the quality and sustainability of wild fish or fish products farmed through responsible aquaculture, particularly in Hawaii, Alaska, the Western Pacific, the Northern Pacific, and the Central Pacific; ‘‘(D) include programs to identify, with the fishing industry, methods and technologies that will improve the data collection, quality, and reporting and increase the sustainability of fishing practices, and to transfer such methods and technologies among fisheries sectors and to other nations in the Western, Northern, and Central Pacific; ‘‘(E) develop means by which local and traditional knowledge (including Pacific islander, Native Hawaiian, and Alaskan Native knowledge) can enhance science-based management of fishery resources of the region; and ‘‘(F) develop partnerships with other Western Pacific Island and Alaskan agencies, academic institutions, and other entities to meet the purposes of this section.’’.
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