Strategic Coordination to Advance Data Modernization and Electronic Technologies

CLIENT NEED

The Environmental Defense Fund, Ocean Conservancy, and The Nature Conservancy are working in partnership with industry and others to improve fisheries science and management by modernizing fishery data collection systems. NOAA Fisheries’ data infrastructure has not kept up with the pace of innovation, leading to delays in stock assessments, higher costs for fishermen, and management inefficiencies. The goal of the Data Modernization Work Group (DMWG) is to shape national-level policies that facilitate and fuel the uptake of electronic technologies and promote more strategic data collection, integration, analysis, and use.

STRATEGY

Strategic Earth will support the DMWG by facilitating coordination of the group’s communication, work planning, and reporting. Working in partnership with the DMWG, Strategic Earth will oversee all project management efforts, including developing a work plan, facilitating weekly calls, planning quarterly meetings with industry stakeholders and project funders, and tracking all deliverables and milestones. In addition, our team will also facilitate the development of all work products including policy and engagement recommendations, grant reports, and outreach materials (slide decks, discussion support tools, etc.).

KEY RESULTS & OUTCOMES

The DMWG will carry out its identified policy recommendations and priorities in partnership with industry partners and decision-makers to address policy limitations, insufficient funding, and the lack of a strategic and comprehensive approach to data collection within NOAA. Reducing these barriers will provide a more transparent, consistent, and cost-effective pathway to improving access to information for the industry and decision-makers.