The third Managing Our Nation's Fisheries conference will be held May 7-9, 2013 in Washington, D.C., with a welcome reception on the evening of May 6. The conference is convened by the eight Regional Fishery Management Councils and hosted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.

This conference follows up on the highly successful Managing Our Nation's Fisheries conferences held in 2003 and 2005. Managing Our Nation's Fisheries 3 will focus on how concepts, policies, and practice of fishery sustainability can be advanced to a higher level. Sessions will be of interest to members of the public, fishery participants, environmental advocates, fishery scientists and managers, policymakers, legislators, and journalists.

The discussion will address Magnuson-Stevens Act reauthorization issues, as well as adjustments to current management that do not require legislation to implement. The conference will provide a forum for information exchange and an opportunity to hear a wide range of perspectives on the sustainability of fish stocks and ecosystem functions, and the fishing communities that depend on them.