Peer Reviews of Stock Assessments and other Research
The primary outlet of our scientific findings is in peer-reviewed journals, where our work is subjected to a high standard of scrutiny before publication. In addition, we seek critical review of certain technical reports and scientific products produced by PIFSC staff, or with involvement of PIFSC scientists, that are important components of management deliberations and decisions by NOAA Fisheries and our clients. The NOAA Fisheries Office of Science and Technology provides the agency with the opportunity to conduct independent peer-review of important scientific work through a contract to the Center for Independent Experts (CIE).
Decisions on which scientific work to submit for peer reviews are made jointly by the PIFSC divisions involved and the Directors Office, subject to availability of funding from the Office of Science and Technology or other sources. Reviews have been conducted on several fish stock assessments, a Center research program, Endangered Species Act Status Reviews, and other topics.
While we strive to use the CIE for peer reviews, on rare occasions the Center may face an urgent time constraint that requires us to solicit independent peer reviews of a scientific work product outside the CIE process.
In the links below, we provide access to peer reviews completed to date and a listing of those scientific work products for which peer reviews are still underway or waiting to begin. For the latter cases, we will post the work product and reviewer comments when the review process is concluded.
Completed CIE Peer Reviews:
- Stock Assessment of Main Hawaiian Islands Bottomfish (October 2011)
- Western and Central Pacific Yellowfin Tuna Stock Assessment (August 2010)
- Fisheries Oceanography Acoustics Applications in the Western Pacific (July 2010)
- Time-Area Closures In the Hawaii-Based Longline Swordfish Fishery (June 2010)
- Stock Assessment of Hawaii Deepslope Bottomfish (July 2009)
- North Pacific Swordfish Stock Assessment (September 2009)
- Impacts of Potential Increases in Hawaii Shallow-set Longline Fishing Effort on Sea Turtles (November 2008)
- Larval Transport and Connectivity (May 2008)
- Bigeye Tuna Stock Assessment (November 2007)
- Western and Central Pacific Yellowfin Tuna Stock Assessment (October 2006)
Completed PIFSC Peer Reviews:
Pending Peer Reviews:
- Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Lobster Stock Assessment Model Development
- Bumphead Parrotfish Status Review
- Status Review Report of 82 Species of Corals under the US Endangered Species Act
- North Pacific Striped Marlin Stock Assessment
