The Scientific Coordination Subcommittee (SCS) was formally established by the CCC in 2012. The group consists of the Chairs from each of the Regional Council Scientific and Statistical Committees (SSCs), or their respective proxies. The function of the SCS, in conjunction with Council staff, is to plan and conduct meetings or workshops to discuss scientific issues of national importance based on terms of reference or topics provided by the CCC. The SCS is chaired by the SSC Chair (or designee) on an ad hoc, rotational basis, as determined by the CCC.

The Legislative Work Group prepares positions on proposed legislation and legislative issues for consideration by the CCC. The group is most active when Magnuson-Steven Act reauthorization is pending. The Legislative Work Group is responsible for maintaining the Working Paper on MSA Reauthorization Issues, which can be found on the MSA Reauthorization page.

The Council Communications Group (CCG) consists of outreach or public affairs specialists from each Council. The CCG is responsible for the Regional Fishery Management Council website and other communication/outreach projects as assigned by the CCC.  The group interacts informally through email or conference calls and holds periodic in-person meetings to share best practices, discuss common issues, and develop public affairs strategies on issues of importance to the CCC.

The Habitat Work Group (HWG) was established by the CCC in 2014 to: 1) enhance coordination of federal habitat initiatives, 2) discuss habitat requirements and their implementation, and 3) allow members to share knowledge, experiences, and approaches to address fish habitat issues across the regions. The group includes habitat specialists from all eight Councils as well as NMFS regional offices and headquarters.

The Equity and Environmental Justice Work Group was formally established by the CCC in October 2022. The function of the EEJ Work Group is to improve understanding of EEJ concerns in fisheries management and foster different approaches for addressing those concerns. The group consists of staff from each regional management Council and NMFS staff with expertise, as necessary.

In May 2021 the CCC formed an Area-Based Management Subcommittee to “develop a common understanding among the Councils of area-based management measures, and assist the regional councils in coordinating with NOAA to achieve the goals set forth in the EO and report to the Climate Change Task Force.” The primary objectives of the ABM subcommittee are to (1) assist the CCC with tracking and reacting to the 30 by 30 initiative and associated America the Beautiful annual reports and (2) develop a report on Area-based Measures in the U.S. EEZ. Learn more and explore the ABM subcommittee work products here.

In 2015, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued Policy Directive 01-117 on the Integration of Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 with Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act or MSA) Processes. The CCC reviewed the implementation status of the ESA Policy Directive at the May 2021 meeting and recommended strengthening the relationship between NMFS and Councils on ESA consultations by updating the policy directive to improve the process and timing for Council involvement. At the May 2022 CCC meeting, the CCC adopted a motion to form a working group to consider potential changes to the ESA Policy Directive addressing issues identified by the CCC through the May 2021 and January 2022 meetings. The working group consists of one staff member from each Council.

The Steering Committee for Council Member Ongoing Development (CMOD) was created by the CCC in November 2019 to support the development and implementation of the CMOD program. The steering committee is responsible for conducting the necessary planning to ensure that a CMOD workshop occurs every two years. Specific responsibilities include identifying host Councils, setting workshop dates, working with the host Council to contract with a facilitator, developing potential topics for each workshop, and liaising with the CMOD facilitator to provide feedback on the agenda and proposed speakers.