Advancing co-stewardship as outlined in the Joint Secretarial Order 3403: Fulfilling the Trust Responsibility to Indian Tribes in the Stewardship of Federal Lands and Waters (JSO 3403)

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is hosting the consultations and engagement sessions on advancing co-stewardship as outlined in the Joint Secretarial Order 3403. In coordination with the Department of Interior and the Department of Agriculture, JSO 3403 was amended to include the Department of Commerce. The purpose of JSO 3403 is to ensure Federal lands and waters are managed in a manner that protects the treaty, religious, subsistence, and cultural interests of federally recognized Indian tribes, including the Native Hawaiian Community, with an emphasis on co-stewardship. NOAA is interested in working with tribal members and Native Hawaiians to build our collective understanding of stewardship and co-stewardship and identify ways to advance the goals of JSO 3403 at NOAA and within the Department of Commerce. As part of this process, NOAA would benefit from consultations and engagement on a number of issues related to JSO 3403. See the Dear Tribal Leader Letter, Dear Native Hawaiian Community Leader Letter, Attachment 1, Attachment 2. We will hold two formal consultations for tribal representatives on October 3 and October 4. We will hold an engagement for Native Hawaiian representatives on October 5. You may provide comments in writing through November 6th, 2023. Please send your written submissions to Becky Cruz Lizama, NOAA Senior Tribal Liaison, at OLIA.Tribal@noaa.gov, and identify your submission as “Advancing Co stewardship Consultation/Engagement.” More information is here.