PREFACE

	This third status review of U.S. living marine resources (LMR's)
updates and augments the 1992  Our Living Oceans  document. It
provides a scientific overview of the health of the Nation's marine
fisheries as well as protected marine mammals and sea turtles.
These national resources are under the stewardship of the National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a line office of the U.S.
Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). This report synthesizes, for the public,
results from extensive NMFS scientific programs aimed at evaluating
and monitoring our living marine resources. The management of these
resources is described, and important issues and recent progress
are highlighted. As with the first two editions, it is the
collective effort of NMFS staff from around the country that makes
such a report possible (Appendices 1 and 2).

FOREWORD

	Vice President Al Gore completed his report on the National
Performance Review in September of 1993, shortly before I was
appointed to head the National Marine Fisheries Service. One of the
main conclusions of the Vice President's study, emphasized by
President Bill Clinton at the signing of the Government Performance
and Results Act, is that government agencies must evaluate and
focus on the outputs of their work, rather than just the inputs. In
effect, we need to measure how well we have done in achieving our
goals. The National Performance Review also points out that Federal
agencies need to work under strategic plans and link these plans to
performance and results.
	This third annual report on the status of U.S. living marine
resources is just such an evaluation of performance to accompany
the NOAA and NMFS Strategic Plans. It gives an overview of the
status of all our living marine resources and illustrates both
successes and shortcomings in our stewardship of these resources
for the Nation. This report highlights important problems which we,
as managers, must face and deal with over the coming years. It
highlights as well, the substantial progress we have made within
just the past year.
	The National Marine Fisheries Service, with its origin as the U.S.
Commission of Fish and Fisheries in 1871, was this Nation's first
environmental agency. In 1996 we will celebrate our 125th
anniversary. We recognize and understand the problems we face. Our
long history has given us the experience and expertise to make
progress in resolving them. This report shows the many areas of
resource management where we need to improve. We must reverse the
overfishing trend, improve economic performance, and strengthen the
conservation of protected species. As Assistant Administrator for
Fisheries, I intend to focus on the Agency's performance in
improving the management of our living marine resources through
better understanding of the status of the resource, improved
communications with the user community, and a streamlined and
effective National Marine Fisheries Service. Our ultimate goal is
to insure the greatest possible benefit for the Nation on a
continuing basis.




Rolland A. Schmitten
Assistant Administrator for Fisheries
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration

December 1993