Memorandum of Understanding between NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to Promote the Conservation of Migratory Birds including Seabird Bycatch Reduction

This notice announces the availability of the final signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to promote the conservation of migratory birds.

This NMFS-FWS MOU encompasses all relevant seabird-related NMFS activities and identifies specific areas of collaboration and cooperation with FWS, including seabird bycatch reduction, information sharing and coordination, international policy and diplomacy, and habitat conservation. The MOU also provides for strengthening migratory bird conservation by identifying strategies that promote conservation and reduce adverse impacts on migratory birds through enhanced collaboration between NMFS and the FWS. In addition, This MOU identifies specific activities where cooperation between NMFS and the FWS, will contribute to the conservation of migratory birds and their habitat. These activities are intended to complement and support existing efforts and to facilitate new collaborative conservation efforts for migratory birds.