In mid-May, an important New England ocean planning document will be released.\u00a0 Fishermen in the Northeast should take advantage of the 60-day public comment period that will follow.<\/p>\n
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The Northeast Ocean Plan is a regionally developed blueprint that coordinates the activities of state and federal agencies responsible for New England ocean resources and involves local stakeholders whose livelihoods are affected by decisions on the water.<\/p>\n
Drafted by the Northeast Regional Planning Body over the last four years \u2013 with extensive input from fishermen, scientists, the US Coast Guard, port managers, coastal business owners, energy developers, shipping companies, conservation groups, and others \u2013 the plan seeks to balance these multiple ocean uses, promoting a sustainable economy and resilient environment.<\/p>\n
While New England is the first region of the US to draft such a plan, the Mid-Atlantic will soon follow and anticipates releasing its draft plan this summer.\u00a0 Fishermen who dock in New England, but fish in the Mid-Atlantic, will want to be aware of both plans.<\/p>\n
In recent years, Commercial Fisheries News<\/i> has published several articles that reference \u2018ocean planning.\u2019<\/p>\n
(See https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/cfn-wind-energy-coverage<\/a>).<\/p>\n But what is ocean planning, exactly?<\/p>\n And why do we need ocean planning now?<\/p>\n Historically, only hardened mariners, fishermen, and tradesmen made their living on the seas.\u00a0 However, in recent decades, new uses and industries have emerged.\u00a0 For example, places like the Gulf of Maine, Nantucket Sound, and the Mid-Atlantic Bight all have ideal conditions for offshore wind farms.<\/p>\n \u201cSome may see the ocean as a vast open space, but really there is a lot that goes on out there: shipping, transportation, fishing, recreation, tourism, and national security operations\u201d said Bruce Carlisle, director, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management.<\/p>\n The plan will be posted at here:<\/p><\/div>\n \u201cThe ocean is increasingly a busy place, with new proposals for wind and wave energy projects, LNG terminals, electric and telecommunication cables, and offshore sand excavation.\u00a0 Ocean planning represents a sea change in how we, as a nation, manage ocean resources.\u201d<\/p>\n Likewise, environmental conditions such as rising seas, changing temperature patterns, acidification, and major weather events are wreaking havoc on everything from shellfish stocks to beaches \u2013 all issues fishermen are often the first to observe.<\/p>\n In challenging times like these, preserving high-value industries such as fisheries and tourism \u2013 and the ecosystem that supports them \u2013 is more important than ever to regional, economic security.<\/p>\n A few decades ago, leaders at both the regional and federal level anticipated the need to balance an increasingly crowded ocean with the multiple current and future ocean uses.<\/p>\n Under the Oceans Act of 2000, President George W. Bush appointed the US Commission on Ocean Policy, led by Admiral James D. Watkins (US Navy Ret.).<\/p>\n The resulting 2004 report, \u201cAn Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century,\u201d came to the conclusion that US coastal and ocean resources were in \u201cserious trouble\u201d and recommended a new approach for managing the ocean.<\/p>\n The new approach should:<\/p>\n Massachusetts, in 2009, and Rhode Island, in 2010, were the first to establish state ocean plans.<\/p>\n Subsequent bi-partisan, federal efforts in 2010 co-chaired by former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator William Ruckelshaus, who served under the Nixon administration, and Norman Mineta, a Democrat who also served as Secretary of Transportation under the Bush administration, further developed many of the conclusions of the Watkins Commission.<\/p>\n They determined our greatest ocean problems were rooted in process:<\/p>\n In response, the Obama administration directed federal agencies to correct these deficiencies through comprehensive ocean planning.<\/p>\n Congress is paying close attention to the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic ocean plans.<\/p>\n On April 10 in Washington, DC, leaders representing the Northeast Regional Planning Body offered their insights to congressional staff.<\/p>\n [pullquote align=”right” textalign=”center” width=”60%”]Want to contribute your thoughts to\u00a0the\u00a0Public Comment\u00a0<\/b>period for the\u00a0Northeast Ocean Plan<\/b>?\u00a0A notice will be posted with details\u00a0explaining how in a subsequent issue of\u00a0Commercial Fisheries News<\/i>.\u00a0The plan will be posted at:\u00a0<www.neoceanplanning.org\/<\/b><\/a>.>\u00a0To view the data portal, see:\u00a0<www.northeastoceandata.org\/<\/b><\/a>>.[\/pullquote]<\/p>\n \u201cThis is a state\u2019s rights issue,\u201d said Ted Diers, administrator, New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services.<\/p>\n \u201cOcean planning allows states to participate fully in federal decision making. It\u2019s the ticket to the dance to participate in decision making outside the three-mile limit. That\u2019s why I\u2019m involved.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ocean plan is built around a baseline of hard science and the soft science around how people work and recreate.\u201d<\/p>\n Ocean plans have the potential to fundamentally improve how decisions are made.<\/p>\n \u201cThe ocean plan levels the playing field among all the agencies, tribes, and stakeholders to maintain sustainable uses of our ocean,\u201d said Diers. \u201cIt gives us the tools to avoid conflicts before they start.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2012, Hurricane Sandy When officials sought to restore New Jersey\u2019s beaches by laying down tons of sand, they did so without evaluating how this action might later affect fisheries.<\/p>\n By contrast, a different scenario played out when Deepwater Wind proposed to build America\u2019s first offshore wind farm, a five turbine 30 MW facility off the coast of Rhode Island.<\/p>\n Thanks to Rhode Island\u2019s Special Area Management Plan \u2013 the state\u2019s ocean plan \u2013 the siting process evaluated ocean users\u2019 concerns, including lobster fishermen like Bill McElroy.<\/p>\n Concerned the proposed site would disturb lobster habitat, fishermen explained that if Deepwater Wind would move their turbines slightly it would greatly reduce impacts to lobster \u2013 and to lobster fishermen.<\/p>\n Deepwater Wind CEO Jeff Grybowski\u00a0often praises ocean planning because negotiating in person, rather than defaulting to litigation, saved Deepwater Wind years in the permitting process.<\/p>\n As for the fishermen, advanced planning empowers people whose livelihoods are on the line.<\/p>\n Said McElroy of the experience: \u201cIt made us realize that we might not get everything we want, but we are getting most of it, and we are getting a seat at the table and have the opportunity to give them our opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n This is why it is important for fishermen to familiarize themselves with the draft ocean plans proposed for the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and provide feedback during the public comment period.<\/p>\n Consisting of five chapters, the Northeast Plan describes information for ocean resources and activities, including marine life and habitat; cultural resources; marine transportation; national security; commercial and recreational fishing; recreation; energy and infrastructure; aquaculture; and offshore sand resources.<\/p>\n Data for these topics was collected from multiple, existing sources, said John Weber, executive director, Northeast Regional Ocean Council, and as part of the plan\u2019s development, data gaps were identified from public input, with extensive expert and scientific review.<\/p>\n Where there were data gaps, either new data was created, or the need for information was flagged for the future.<\/p>\n \u201cChapter three of the plan explains how these data will inform federal agency actions,\u201d said Weber.\u00a0 \u201cFor example, the fishing industry can see how agencies will be applying the maps of fishing activity that industry members, scientists, and managers helped develop.\u201d<\/p>\n New England Fishery Management Council members Doug Grout of New Hampshire, followed by Mark Alexander of Connecticut, have served on the Northeast Regional Planning Body representing the interests of fishermen and fishery management in the planning process.<\/p>\n But these ocean plans are not static reports; rather, they are iterative documents that depend on the observations and insights of fishermen working on the water.<\/p>\n Furthermore, ocean plans serve fishermen in another important way.<\/p>\n Because\u00a0 fishermen lead busy lives, often at sea when decisions are being made, regional ocean plans make it easier for fishermen to track the regulatory actions of federal and state agencies that might impact their fisheries.<\/p>\n Fishermen should have some confidence that their data is integral to decision making.<\/p>\n \u201cOcean plans will compel federal agencies to do a better job of engaging fisheries,\u201d said John Williamson, former fishery management council member and consultant on fisheries in planning.<\/p>\n \u201cThis means that in the future, before a major development such as a wind farm is permitted, affected fishing communities will be identified at the earliest stages, fishermen will be consulted, and their interests will be considered upfront when there is the most opportunity to shape results.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone with a computer will have access to all the information being used for decision making, such as locations of fishing grounds and their value.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important for fishermen to read these plans and support changes in the ways that federal agencies do business.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Amy Trice is an aquatic ecologist who works as a policy analyst for Ocean Conservancy tracking ocean planning processes throughout the United States.\u00a0 A native Georgian, Amy grew up fishing with her father and grandfather.<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n To get all of the stories and much more you’ll need the MAY 2016 issue of\u00a0Commercial Fisheries News –\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>please\u00a0choose from the\u00a0following options<\/i>:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n BUY a Single PRINT edition of CFN that is delivered by MAIL.\u00a0PRINT EDITION<\/a> Quickly enjoy ONLINE access with our Hi-DEF flip-book.\u00a0<\/strong>PURCHASE ONLINE EDITION<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 (Read online flip-book immediately with purchased access key and download a copy for yourself to keep. \u00a0Not sure if it works for you? Try a\u00a0FREE SAMPLE HERE<\/a>.)<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/neoceanplanning-300x240.jpg\")
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\ndevastated the Eastern seaboard.\u00a0 It was the second most costly hurricane
\nin US history. But the cost didn\u2019t stop with the storm.<\/p>\n![\"CFN-5_16-cover\"](\"https:\/\/fish-news.com\/cfn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/CFN-5_16-cover-243x300.jpg\")
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