MBNMS Research Program: Current Activities February 2000

Mission
Providing information for resource management in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Approach
Determining information gaps, developing and participating in collaborations to study issues, and interpreting research to decision makers.

Components

• Facilitating collaboration between research groups in the MBNMS region,
• Assessing "Sanctuary Health" with long-term monitoring programs,
• Addressing research issues of resource management concern,
• Interpreting research information for decision makers, including the public

Staff

Andrew De Vogelaere, PhD	Research Coordinator	MBNMS
Aaron King (1/2 time)	Program Specialist	MBNMS
Expected July 2000	Research Assistant	MBNMS
Mario Tamburri, PhD	Research Fellow	MBARI/MBNMS
Karin Forney, PhD	Research Associate	NMFS
Scott Benson	Beach COMBERS Coor.	MLML
Kate Stanbury	GIS Specialist	MLML
Jennifer Makowka	RAP Intern	MATE Program
Matt Edwards	MBRS Kelp Intern	U.C. Santa Cruz
30 Research Activity Panel Members
42 Beach COMBERS volunteers

Facilities/Equipment

• Monterey office space
• Moss Landing Marine Labs. and MBARI office space and lab use
• Geographic Information System
• Extensive web site and internet offerings
• NOAA Ship McArthur
• Lake Amphibian Plane
• Moss Landing Marine Labs. Small boat

Priority goals for the year 2000

• Complete a comprehensive ecosystem monitoring plan
• Expand Beach COMBERS monitoring program to Cambria region
• Complete assessment of set gillnet by-catch and methods to minimize by-catch
• Characterize marine reserves and the Big Sur canyons with SSE
• Develop a demonstration GIS project in collaboration with ESRI to visually summarize data streams from monitoring programs
• Complete a kelp management plan
• Update the MBNMS Scientific Research Plan

1. Coordinating 8 MBNMS Research Activities Panel meetings per year
   1. Meetings include a host presentation on the latest developments at their facility, presentations on current science topics, advice to MBNMS staff on research issues, networking opportunities for multi-disciplinary studies, and informational updates.
2. Serving on various science related committees
   1. Monterey Bay Crescent Research Consortium
   2. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Advisory Committee
   3. Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve Research Sub-Committee
   4. City of Pacific Grove Pt. Pinos Research Committee
   5. Central Coast Joint Data Sharing Committee
   6. Big Creek Marine Ecological Reserve Research Advisory Committee
   7. Southern California Rocky Shore Intertidal Monitoring Network Science Panel
   8. Elkhorn Slough Sea Otter Interactions and Boating Committee
   9. California Habitat Mapping Network
3. Co-Facilitating MLML Phycology/Marine Ecology group
   1. Fortnightly meetings with Moss Landing Marine Labs. and U.C. Santa Cruz graduate students to develop research projects and discuss scientific literature.
4. Participating in a multi-agency assessment of, and reductions plans for seabird and mammal by-catch in the local set gillnet fishery.
5. Coordinating and/or responding to events such as oil spills and harmful algal blooms.
6. Developing a database for the world wide web on marine mammal research projects in California.
7. Maintaining research related e-mail List Serves
   1. MBNMS Research Activity Panel
   2. MBNMS Research Interests
   3. Sanctuary Currents Symposium
   4. Beach COMBERS
   5. West Coast Marine Mammal Studies
   6. Central California Harmful Algal Blooms

• Developing a multi-disciplinary, multi-institution ecosystem monitoring plan for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. With all research institutions in the region.
• Garnering financial and ship-time resources for an ongoing assessment of marine mammal and bird community structure in the Monterey Bay. With U.C. Santa Cruz, Moss Landing Marine Labs., and MBARI.
• Kelp forest community monitoring by the MBNMS dive team at San Carlos Beach, in collaboration with the geographically broader kelp monitoring by PISCO. With U.C. Santa Cruz MBNMS kelp canopy monitoring with aerial photography. With California Department of Fish and Game and Moss Landing Marine Labs.
• Monitoring pinniped populations with aerial surveys. With CINMS and Moss Landing Marine Labs.
• Facilitating funding and project development for an assessment of long term change on the rocky shores of Pt. Pinos. With the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the city of Pacific Grove
• Monitoring other rocky shore long term monitoring sites. With in U.C. Santa Cruz and Moss Landing Marine Labs.
• Developing a MBNMS staff project to assess abalone recruitment patterns.

• Seafloor mapping projects with USGS, California Department of Fish and Game and California State University Monterey Bay.
• Characterizing the macroinvertebrates on the MBNMS continental shelf with the USGS and EPA.
• Assessing marine reserves and developing monitoring tools in partnership with the Sustainable Seas Expedition
• Determining seabird health by comparing necropsy results from gillnet by-catch and beach cast samples. With NMFS, California Department of Fish and Game, and Moss Landing Marine Labs.
• Assessing the geographic range and impacts of the introduced green crab in the west coast estuaries with U.C. Davis.
• Studies on impacts of CO2 disposal in the deep sea with MBARI.
• Developing a Common Mure restoration plan in California with oil spill response agencies.
• Assessing invertebrate by-catch from kelp harvesting with U.C. Santa Cruz
• Determining causes of sea otter population changes with USGS, California Department of Fish and Game, NMFS, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and regional research institutions.

• Developing a management plan for the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera.
• Reviewing marine zoning regulations and effectiveness at all local, regional, state, ad federally managed sites within the MBNMS.
• Providing scientific information on the geology and marine biology associated with Cal.
• Trans road maintenance on the Big Sur coast.
• Providing a demonstration GIS project in collaboration with ESRI to visually summarize data streams from monitoring programs.
• Developing scripts for the MBNMS GIS to summarize data from the Brach COMBERS program.
• Advising the Monterey Institute for International Studies projects on policy instruments and implementation in central California, eventually to be placed on the MBNMS web site.
• Developing a MBNMS Staff project to survey the general public on their understanding of the MBNMS.
• Assisting in the development of the MBNMS Ecosystem Observations Annual Report.
• Updating the water quality section of the MBNMS Site Characterization.
• Maintaining a current web based information on the MBNMS Research Program, including technical reports.
• Participating in a Sanctuary Currents symposium to present science to the public.
• Presenting MBNMS research at regional community seminars.
• Assisting with hazardous materials spill response and planning.
• Supporting the MBNMS Education, Resource Protection and Program support Programs with daily information exchange.