What's in the News . . .

Marine Protected Areas Center Begins Nomination Process for National System of Marine Protected Areas (December 2008)

Last week, the MPA Center officially started the process of nominating eligible federal, state and territorial sites to be included in the National System of Marine Protected Areas.  Using existing information from the MPA Inventory, the MPA Center identified sites that meet the following entry criteria for inclusion:  1) meets the definition of an MPA, as defined in Executive Order 13158; 2) has a management plan (can be site-specific or part of a broader programmatic management plan); 3) contributes to at least one priority conservation objective, as listed in the Final Framework; and 4) conforms to criteria for the National Register for Historic Places (for Cultural heritage MPAs only).  Managing entities of potentially eligible sites were sent a nomination package and invited to nominate some or all of their sites for inclusion in the national system. 

All nominated sites will be available for public comment, and the MPA Center will receive, evaluate and forward public comment to the relevant managing entities, which will then reaffirm or withdraw the nomination based on public comment received and other factors deemed relevant.  After final MPA Center review, mutually agreed upon MPAs will be accepted into the national system.  To determine if your site is eligible for inclusion in the national system, and for more information, visit http://www.mpa.gov/national_system/nominating_mpas.html.

Contact: Lauren.Wenzel@noaa.gov, OCRM, (MPAC), (301) 563-1136

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CRCP Launches New Global Socioeconomic Report (December 2008)

On December 9, The Coral Reef Conservation Program (CRCP), in partnership with Conservation International, will release a new report on socioeconomic conditions in six regions worldwide, “Socioeconomic Conditions Along the World's Tropical Coasts: 2008.”  Synthesizing data from close to 14,000 household interviews in 29 countries, the report highlights dependence on coral reefs by local communities in developing countries and provides information on perceived threats to coastal resources. The first-ever comprehensive analysis of data from the Global Socioeconomic Monitoring Initiative, the report complements the "Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008" report, which will be released by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network, also on December 9. These reports will be extremely useful and in-demand tools for coral reef managers and scientists around the world. For more information or a copy of the report after its release, visit www.reefbase.org/socmon.

SocMon is an initiative aimed at helping coastal managers better understand and incorporate the socioeconomic context into coastal management programs and is being implemented at the global and regional levels. The program coordinator is a member of the CRCP Headquarters staff, in the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management.

Contact:  Christy.Loper@noaa.gov , OCRM (CRCP), (301) 713-3155 x155

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NOAA Starts EIS Process for Proposed Wisconsin Reserve (December 2008)

Three Estuarine Reserves Division (ERD) staff members traveled to Superior, Wisconsin, last week to participate with local officials and citizens in a scoping meeting to launch the Environmental Impact Statement process for the proposed St. Louis River National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle formally nominated the proposed two-component reserve earlier this year, and former NOAA Administrator VADM Conrad Lautenbacher (USN-Ret.) accepted the nomination shortly before leaving office in October. That set in motion a series of events that could result in the designation of the 28th reserve in the system within two years.

ERD Chief Laurie McGilvray and program specialists Matt Chasse and Tina O’Connell made up the NOAA delegation to the scoping meeting at the University of Wisconsin Superior campus. Together with University of Wisconsin Extension Service officials, they explained the process for designating a reserve and invited questions and comments from the more than 40 people in attendance.

Speakers included the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior, the head of the UW Extension Service, which will partner with NOAA in managing the proposed reserve, and the University of Wisconsin project team. Chasse said the response was overwhelmingly positive, the consensus message being “What can we do to help you?” There was also a lot of curiosity about the proposed research and education programs.

The meeting was covered by the local National Public Radio affiliate and other local media. The NOAA officials also met with tribal representatives who have traditional hunting and gathering rights in the proposed reserve, and they toured key parts of the reserve.

NOAA officials will now draft an environmental impact statement, and Wisconsin officials will draft a management plan. NOAA and the state will collaborate on the two documents, which should be available in draft form by next October. The proposed St. Louis River Reserve will expand the coverage of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System to the Upper Great Lakes region and will be the second fresh water reserve in the system.

Contact: Matt.Chasse@noaa.gov, OCRM (ERD) 301-713-3155 x198

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National Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program Expands to Illinois (December 2008)

This week, Illinois submitted a draft preliminary program document for its coastal zone management program to the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management (OCRM) for review. The submission marks years of effort by OCRM’s Coastal Programs Division working with Illinois to develop a coastal zone management program (CZM).  Illinois is the only state of the thirty-five coastal states and territories eligible to participate in the voluntary National Coastal Zone Management Program that does not have a federally approved CZM program.  Currently, 95,396 national shoreline miles (99.9%) are managed by the NOAA Coastal Zone Management Program. The remaining 45 miles lie within Illinois.

Illinois has been working with OCRM/CPD on this renewed interest in joining the national coastal zone management program for the past three years, and submission of this preliminary document, is a significant accomplishment for NOAA and the State of Illinois. Further, the U.S. Ocean Commission has recommended all 35 eligible states participate in the CZM Program.

Contact: Diana.Olinger@noaa.gov, OCRM, (CPD) 301.563.1149

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NOAA Approves Two CELCP Plans (OCRM) (December 2008)

NOAA Assistant Administrator Jack Dunnigan recently approved two state/territorial plans under the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP). Florida's CELCP Plan was approved on November 20, 2008, and the CELCP Plan for The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands was approved on December 12, 2008.

Plans consider the geographic area for eligible projects – for example, within the coastal zone or coastal watershed boundary - as well as the significant habitat types and values that need to be protected. The plans also provide an incentive to bring together the various state or territorial agencies, local entities, and even federal agencies involved in land conservation planning within the state or region.

To date, NOAA has approved six plans -- Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Northern Marianas, New York, and Washington. The remaining 28 states and territories eligible to participate in CELCP have plans in various stages of development. Draft and approved plans are available on OCRM's website at
http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/land/welcome.html.

Contact: Roxanne.Thomas@noaa.gov OCRM (NPED), 301-713-7155; Elaine.Vaudreuil@noaa.gov OCRM (NPED), 301-713-7155 x103

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CICEET Convenes Living Coasts Land Use Planning Workshop (December 2008)

The University of New Hampshire/OCRM Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) convened a workshop this week for land use planning researchers and outreach specialists participating in its Living Coasts Program. Under this program, 13 project teams, each working with a dedicated community partner, are using technology to help coastal areas grow in a way that preserves water quality, protects natural areas, and improves quality of life. The workshop was an opportunity for these teams to improve their projects by sharing lessons learned and successes related to technology development and working collaboratively with communities. Participants also provided feedback on how CICEET’s funding opportunity design has influenced project progress, and discussed how they and CICEET can work to broaden the impact of their work to other communities.

Changes in land use are routinely linked to declining water quality and coastal habitat degradation. Land use decisions made to address current concerns will impact management options in the future, as sea levels and climates continue to change. It is essential that coastal communities not only have effective tools to support their land use decisions, but that lessons learned related to the development and application of these tools are widely shared by the coastal managers and funding opportunity programs that support their work.

Contact:  Dwight.Trueblood@noaa.gov, OCRM (CICEET), (603)862-3580 

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