MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 19, 2012 Contact: Linda Joy (NOAA) 301-­‐734-­‐1165 Christina Johnson (California Sea Grant) 858-­‐822-­‐5334 NOAA administrator to announce two new West Coast studies on models for sustaining America's fishing industry Can the "locavore" movement do for fisheries what it has been doing for American farmers as a growing number of consumers buy locally grown produce from community farms? New NOAA Sea Grant social sciences research projects are seeking to answer that and other questions. Reporters are invited to learn more in a media teleconference with NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., on March 22 when she will announce two studies funded by this initiative. They will look at how new business models -­‐ community supported fisheries and high value product lines -­‐ could benefit fishing communities in Washington, Oregon, and California. WHAT: Media teleconference on two new NOAA Sea Grant projects to study models for sustainable West Coast fisheries WHEN: Thursday, March 22, 10:00 a.m. PT WHERE: National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis 735 State Street, Suite 300 (3rd floor, conference room 323) Santa Barbara,Calif. (Directions: http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/contact) HOW: Reporters may attend the press briefing in person or by teleconference: Dial-­‐in: 1-­‐800-­‐988-­‐9466; pass code 66781 (Please RSVP to Linda Joy, 301-­‐734-­‐1165, linda.joy@noaa.gov, or Christina Johnson, 858-­‐822-­‐5334, csjohnson@ucsd.edu) WHO: -­‐ Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator -­‐ James Eckman, Ph.D., director, California Sea Grant -­‐ Barbara Walker, Ph.D., director of research development for the social sciences, humanities and fine arts, University of California, Santa Barbara -­‐ Ana Pitchon, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology, California State University NOAA's mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. The California Sea Grant College Program is a statewide, multiuniversity program of marine research, extension services, and education activities administered by the University of California. It is headquartered at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. The National Sea Grant College Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce