Ocean Management in the Ocean Management in the Bay StateBay State

Capitol Hill Oceans WeekCapitol Hill Oceans Week

June 14, 2006June 14, 2006

OverviewOverview

• Policy DriversPolicy Drivers

• MA Ocean Management MA Ocean Management

• MA Ocean Partnership FundMA Ocean Partnership Fund

Growing PressuresGrowing Pressures

• 1999 - present – Cape Wind1999 - present – Cape Wind

• 2000-2004 – Hubline Gas Pipeline2000-2004 – Hubline Gas Pipeline

• 2000-2002 – Winergy2000-2002 – Winergy

• 2003-present – 4 LNG proposals2003-present – 4 LNG proposals

• 2003-present – 2 Offshore Sand projects2003-present – 2 Offshore Sand projects

• 2004 – Energy Policy Act2004 – Energy Policy Act

• 2006 – Buzzards Bay Disposal Site2006 – Buzzards Bay Disposal Site

Hull municipal wind projectHull municipal wind project

Buzzards Bay Wind FarmBuzzards Bay Wind Farm

Cape & Islands Tidal Energy ProjectCape & Islands Tidal Energy Project

• 2012 – Georges Bank Moratorium expires 2012 – Georges Bank Moratorium expires

Massachusetts Efforts:Massachusetts Efforts:

• MA Ocean Management Task Force: MA Ocean Management Task Force: 20042004

• MA Oceans Act introduced: 2005MA Oceans Act introduced: 2005

• MA Ocean Partnership Fund: 2006MA Ocean Partnership Fund: 2006

Information BaseInformation Base

• Seafloor Mapping*Seafloor Mapping*

• Habitat CharacterizationHabitat Characterization

• Human Use Characterization*Human Use Characterization*

• Fisheries Use CharacterizationFisheries Use Characterization

• Marine Protected Area Inventory*Marine Protected Area Inventory*

• Ocean and Coastal Economy*Ocean and Coastal Economy*

• Interagency Ocean Planning*Interagency Ocean Planning*

• Energy Facility Planning*Energy Facility Planning*

ChallengesChallenges

• Public awareness and engagementPublic awareness and engagement

• Support for planningSupport for planning

• Sensitivity in fishing communitySensitivity in fishing community

• Ad hoc approach to Ad hoc approach to planning/permitting works for manyplanning/permitting works for many

• Scientific understanding of oceanScientific understanding of ocean

• FundingFunding

What Is TheWhat Is The MA MA Ocean Ocean Partnership Fund Partnership Fund (MOPF) Now(MOPF) Now??

A developing collaborationA developing collaboration among those among those interested in providing leadership, funding or interested in providing leadership, funding or other support for important ocean initiatives in other support for important ocean initiatives in Massachusetts.Massachusetts.

What Will TheWhat Will The Partnership BePartnership Be??

• An independent private/public partnership to support An independent private/public partnership to support advances in ocean policy, science, and education.advances in ocean policy, science, and education.

• MOPF expected to have participation from:MOPF expected to have participation from:

– State, federal, and local government State, federal, and local government – NGOs NGOs – Academic and other scientific institutionsAcademic and other scientific institutions– Business and industryBusiness and industry– Resource users Resource users – Funders (foundation, corporate, government, individuals, Funders (foundation, corporate, government, individuals,

etc.)etc.)– CitizensCitizens

Identifying Common Identifying Common Interests:Interests:

• Healthy marine and coastal Healthy marine and coastal ecosystems ecosystems

• Vibrant ocean industries Vibrant ocean industries

• Economically healthy communitiesEconomically healthy communities

• “ “Ocean literacy” among citizens of Ocean literacy” among citizens of MAMA

Emerging ObjectivesEmerging Objectives

• Promote integration of ecosystem-Promote integration of ecosystem-based science into policy & based science into policy & management decisionsmanagement decisions

• Support sustainable resource useSupport sustainable resource use

• Foster widespread understanding of Foster widespread understanding of human - ocean interdependencies human - ocean interdependencies

• Advance comprehensive ocean Advance comprehensive ocean planningplanning

Establishing MOPF RolesEstablishing MOPF Roles

• Convener of diverse stakeholders to Convener of diverse stakeholders to identify & resolve difficult ocean policy identify & resolve difficult ocean policy & management issues. & management issues.

• Funder of programs & studies to Funder of programs & studies to advance ocean policy, science & advance ocean policy, science & education. education.

• Catalyst for private/public partnership Catalyst for private/public partnership model that can be used elsewhere in model that can be used elsewhere in the Gulf of Maine & other coastal states.the Gulf of Maine & other coastal states.

MOPF Will MOPF Will NotNot::

• have regulatory power or governmental have regulatory power or governmental status.status.

• be a substitute for governmental be a substitute for governmental funding or action.funding or action.

• represent any represent any oneone group of group of stakeholders, organizations or sectors.stakeholders, organizations or sectors.

• write an ocean management plan! write an ocean management plan!

How Did MOPF Get Started?How Did MOPF Get Started?

• A group from MA Ocean Mgt Task A group from MA Ocean Mgt Task Force developed the concept.Force developed the concept.

• MA Environmental Trust, in MA Environmental Trust, in collaboration with others, secured collaboration with others, secured planning grant from Moore planning grant from Moore Foundation.Foundation.

• Planning phase through June 2007 to Planning phase through June 2007 to establish MOPF.establish MOPF.

““Outputs” For First Year:Outputs” For First Year:

• 5-Year Strategic Plan for MOPF5-Year Strategic Plan for MOPF– Organizational form & management structureOrganizational form & management structure– Programmatic goals in ocean science, public education & Programmatic goals in ocean science, public education &

policypolicy– Implementation strategiesImplementation strategies– Funding planFunding plan

• Science / Technical PlanScience / Technical Plan– ““Policy-relevant” scientific, socioeconomic & other Policy-relevant” scientific, socioeconomic & other

technical information needs technical information needs – Strategies for pursuing science/technical prioritiesStrategies for pursuing science/technical priorities– Tools for communicating priorities & implementation Tools for communicating priorities & implementation

strategies to scientific community, resource managers, strategies to scientific community, resource managers, user groups & other stakeholdersuser groups & other stakeholders

Objectives For First Year:Objectives For First Year:

• Hire Project Coordinator Hire Project Coordinator • Develop & implement stakeholder Develop & implement stakeholder

involvement programinvolvement program• Develop & implement process for Develop & implement process for

preparing Strategic and Science Planspreparing Strategic and Science Plans• Form Strategic Planning Group, Form Strategic Planning Group,

Steering Committee & Science PanelSteering Committee & Science Panel• Procure consultant services, as neededProcure consultant services, as needed

Where Are We Now?Where Are We Now?

• Hired Project CoordinatorHired Project Coordinator

• Held initial stakeholder meeting April Held initial stakeholder meeting April 20062006

• Interviewing stakeholdersInterviewing stakeholders

• Developing Steering Committee and Developing Steering Committee and Strategic Planning GroupStrategic Planning Group

• Formulating process for development Formulating process for development of Strategic Plan and Science Planof Strategic Plan and Science Plan

Next StepsNext Steps

• Next stakeholder meeting July 2006Next stakeholder meeting July 2006

• Report findings from stakeholder Report findings from stakeholder interviewsinterviews

• Form Strategic Planning GroupForm Strategic Planning Group

• Expand Steering CommitteeExpand Steering Committee

• Outline Strategic Plan and Science Outline Strategic Plan and Science PlanPlan

MOPF Contact InformationMOPF Contact Information

Stephanie MouraStephanie Moura

Project CoordinatorProject Coordinator

Tel: 978-471-9078 Tel: 978-471-9078

Email: Email: smoura.mopf@comcast.netsmoura.mopf@comcast.net

Susan Snow-Cotter Andy RosenbergSusan Snow-Cotter Andy Rosenberg

Priscilla Brooks Robbin PeachPriscilla Brooks Robbin Peach