May 7, 2013
On April 16th, the National Ocean Council released the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan, which describes specific actions US Federal agencies will take to address key ocean challenges, give states and communities greater input in Federal decisions, streamline Federal operations, save taxpayer dollars, and promote economic growth.
March 18, 2013
A short-sighted plan threatens New England’s coastal ecosystem. Thousands of square miles of protected waters could see the return of damaging fishing practices, putting the recovery of cod and other struggling marine life in peril.
When fish populations crashed in the 1990s, these closed areas were created to protect juvenile fish, spawning areas, and seafloor habitat. Other species benefit too, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and harbor porpoises.
Now fishery managers want to open more than half of these sheltered zones. A rash decision to remove protections could undo decades of recovery. Read more…
Eminent marine scientists, led by Dr. Peter Auster, urged NOAA to reconsider:
“NOAA Fisheries and the New England Council are on the precipice of a monumental decision – a decision that would allow fishing in huge areas that have been protected from the most damaging forms of fishing for many years. The plan contemplated is clearly a major federal action that will significantly affect the quality of the human environment. There has not been sufficient analysis to know whether or not opening these areas can provide the fishery relief that is the intent of this proposal. There has not been sufficient consideration of the ecological function of the current areas nor how they are contributing to the status of groundfish or anything else. We urge you to look at the existing areas in the context of an integrated system of habitat areas that can provide the ecological support that the region needs to sustain fishermen and fisheries, and to move the region toward ecosystem-based management. The groundfish closed areas should be thoroughly examined within the context of the OHA, including a comprehensive EIS. The risks associated with opening these areas without a proper analysis are very high.” Read more…
This posting was adapted from material posted by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
July 12, 2012
View Heather’s recent video on the importance of federal research funding for marine science. Thanks to The Science Coalition for inviting this contribution and Brown University’s Office of Public Affairs and University Relations for helping to make this possible.
February 7, 2012
A new movie from Greenfire Productions describes the changing landscape of ocean policy and stewardship in the US, with stories from the coast of Oregon to the Gulf of Mexico to Mass. Bay. Check in out at http://ocean-frontiers.org/.
July 6, 2011
See http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/24/open-comments-ntl-ocean-policy-strategic-action-plans for more information.
The 9 priority objectives of the NOP can be divided into two categories: “How we do business” and “ Special Emphasis”. The first includes Ecosystem-Based Management, Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding, Coordination and Support, and Ocean Coastal and Great Lakes Observations Mapping and Infrastructure. The second includes Resiliency and Adaptation, Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Water Quality and Strategic Action on Land, Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change, and Changing conditions in the Arctic.
These plans are adaptive in nature and are to be reviewed annually. The outlines are merely a preliminary interim plan on which the public may submit comments until July 2. Late this summer a new draft of each strategic action plan will be drafted, taking into account the feedback received at these regional listening sessions and online.
By Bridgette Black, Class of 2012
July 6, 2011
On Monday, June 27 in Exeter, NH the National Ocean Council (NOC) held a regional listening session to solicit feedback regarding the nine priority objectives of the developing National Ocean Policy (NOP), along with the outlines of the related strategic action plans. For more information on these SAPs click here. Read more…
The National Ocean Policy represents the US’s first truly comprehensive and integrated effort to protect and sustainably manage America’s coastal waters, bays, estuaries and oceans.
Opening remarks were given by several representatives of the council. Sally Yozell, Director of the Policy at NOAA and Co-Chair of the NOC Resource Management Interagency Policy Committee emphasized the importance of “bottom-up decision making” indicating that most good ideas come from the regional level. In addition, she noted that the Northeast is a leader in terms of US regional ocean governance.
Steve Crawford, Environmental Director of Passamaquoddy Tribe of Pleasant Point, Maine and Member of the NOC Governance Coordinating Committee emphasized the important role of the tribes in this decision-making process.
Kathleen Leyden, Director of the Maine Coastal Program and Member of the NOC Governance Coordinating Committee, hopes the NOP will protect states’ rights, and pointed out that implementation of the policy need to include measurable results, as well as overarching policy. She also emphasized the importance of predictability: we must be able to give answers and predictions to our fishermen and other stakeholders.
Next, several regional representatives spoke on a range of topics, including the importance of restoring and maintaining the diversity of benefits provided by coasts and oceans, the role of offshore energy development in climate change preparedness, and how ocean observing systems are integral to achieving the NOP objectives.
Finally, members of the public were given the opportunity to comment. A number of topics were addressed, including that the idea of “maintaining a healthy ocean” should be explicitly linked with local economies, and that ecosystem-based management (EBM) itself needs to be very specifically defined. In terms of implementation of newer management frameworks and strategies like coastal and marine spatial planning, one person noted that early successes (perhaps from the Northeast) will be necessary to inspire confidence in this approach nationally.
Many people were concerned that the deadline of 2020 (used in a number of SAP goals) is too far away and that significant action must and can be taken in a number of arenas before then, especially in the Northeast. In addition, a number of individuals were concerned about the small role that fisheries and fishermen currently play in the NOC. The council should be working directly with fishermen as they are one of the prime stakeholders.
And finally, there was clamor for recognition and pilot projects in the Gulf of Maine in addition to the efforts going on in other areas around the nation.
A concern that came up repeatedly was that these plans should be “plans to act” rather than “plans to plan”. The SAPs describe a lot of process and not very many action-oriented details such as timelines, milestones and other measures of progress. Broader engagement of people and institutions with a stake in healthy oceans will be necessary in the near future.
Ms. Stephanie Moura, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Ocean Partnership (MOP), urged the Council to “keep things simple” bearing in mind that what is needed is not more process, but good process that allows us to take action.
The next versions of the strategic action plans will be released later in the summer, and another listening session will be held in the fall in Connecticut. Consider attending and making your voice heard!
Bridgette Black is a Brown University senior with interests in aquatic ecosystems, climate change, and international environmental policy.
June 14, 2011
The National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes prioritizes nine objectives to address some of the most pressing challenges facing these precious resources. The National Ocean Council is overseeing development of strategic action plans for each of the nine objectives. As a first step the National Ocean Council has released nine strategic action plan outlines for public review during National Oceans Month, which ends June 30.
Read more and comment at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/sap
December 20, 2010
Read the editorial and feature article describing the accomplishments of and challenges faced this past year by Dr. Jane Lubchenco, administrator of NOAA.
November 19, 2010
Caribbean and Atlantic coral reefs suffered record losses due to extreme heat in 2005. In the most comprehensive assessment of regional coral bleaching, scientists from over 22 countries, including Brown’s Sheila Walsh, report that over 80% of corals bleached and 40% died. These losses are especially alarming because Caribbean corals are already in peril due to overfishing, nutrient pollution, and previous bleaching events. Coral bleaching occurs when the symbiotic algae inside corals are expelled due to stress, usually from high water temperatures. Coral bleaching is increasing in frequency and severity with another major event occurring this year. The study, that appears in PLoS ONE, has set the standard for testing satellite predictions of coral bleaching and documenting large-scale bleaching phenomena. We now need to leverage our ability to predict and document coral bleaching toward preventing or ameliorating the effects of future thermal stress on corals through global climate policy and local management. This should be a policy priority because the decline of corals has substantial ecological, economic, and cultural impacts globally.
For the study, please see: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0013969
For the NOAA press release, see: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2010/20101115_coralbleaching.html
November 18, 2010
