MBNMS SAC Meeting Minutes June 17th, 2010

MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING

FINAL
June 17th, 2010
Cabrillo College
Aptos, CA

The following non-voting members were present as indicated:

• GFNMS Liaison: Bob Wilson
• Monterey Bay NMS: Paul Michel
• National Marine Fisheries Service: Churchill Grimes
• United States Coast Guard: LT Steve Arnwine

Alternates present in audience:

• AMBAG: Lynn Robinson
• At-large: Kurt Schnebele
• At-Large: Nancy Selfridge
• Commercial Fishing: Jiri Nozicka
• Diving: Randy Herz
• MBNMS: Karen Grimmer
• Recreation: Robert Chatham
• Research: John Hunt
• Tourism: Bob Massaro

Paul Michel, Superintendent, swore in Jiri Nozicka as the Commercial Fishing alternate.

APPROVAL OF 6/17/10 DRAFT MEETING NOTES

The advisory council passed the April 15, 2010 meeting minutes with only minor grammatical changes.

MOTION: (Passed)

Motion introduced by Dick Ely, seconded by Kirk Schmidt.
(Vote: 15 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions)

The following members of the public provided comments to the advisory council: Emily Glanville.

Paul Michel provided several timely updates on sanctuary activities. These activities include: the crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, the US Open and the sanctuary’s efforts to reach out to ESPN and NBC Sports to get them to highlight the sanctuary, the West Coast Deep Sea Coral cruise on the NOAA ship McArthur II, the BLUE Ocean Film Festival on August 25-29 and the sanctuary’s role with the festival, outreach to the agricultural community, Snapshot Day, issuing a 10-year report on Water Quality, a storm water workshop, release of the desalination guidelines for the central coast, and the signing of the MBNMS’s Water Quality Protection Program Memorandum of Agreement.

Dr. Lisa Wooninck, West Coast Regional Policy Coordinator, provided a presentation on the MBNMS’s ecosystem-based management initiative. Following her presentation, Dr. Wooninck requested a subcommittee be established to work with MBNMS staff to develop the initiative. The following advisory council members volunteered to be on the subcommittee: Jiri Nozicka, Randy Herz, Kathy Fosmark, Frank Degnan, Rich Hughett, Steve Clark, Cindy Walter, PJ Webb, Dick Ely, Kortney Leabourne, Chris Harrold. It was suggested that Linda McIntyre should be a member of this subcommittee. Paul Michel will follow up with her.

MOTION: (Passed)
To establish a subcommittee to work with staff to develop the initiative.

Motion introduced by Dick Ely, seconded by PJ Webb.
(Vote: 15 in favor, 0 opposed, 0 abstentions)

Dr. Wooninck’s powerpoint presentation may be viewed here.

Paul Michel provided an update on the recent meeting of the Enforcement Task Force.

Mathers Rowley, Monterey Salmon and Trout Project, provided a presentation on the Monterey Salmon and Trout Project’s salmon recovery efforts. Mr Rowley’s powerpoint presentation may be viewed here.

Richard Hughett, Recreational Fishing member, requested this item be moved to the August 19, 2010 meeting agenda because key members of the advisory council were not present.

Scott Kathey, MBNMS Regulatory Coordinator, provided an informative presentation on the MBNMS’s role in oil spill response. Mr. Kathey’s powerpoint presentation may be viewed here.

James Straith, Canadian Artificial Reef Consulting, provided a presentation on artificial reefs. Mr. Straith’s powerpoint presentation may be viewed here.

Chris Harrold, Sanctuary Advisory Council Chair, and Nicole Capps, Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinators, provided highlights from the SAC Summit they attended in May 2010 in Port Angeles, WA.

Paul Michel proposed that the August 19, 2010 meeting would be a sanctuary advisory council retreat to revisit the old workplan and create a new workplan and to discuss advisory council member roles and responsibilities. After some discussion advisory council members chose to move the retreat to October because August is a busy time for tourism and many events are taking place

Gary Pezzi, Recreation, announced the Santa Cruz Surfrider Foundation’s participation in International Surfing Day. Festivities will take place from 12-2 p.m. north of Cowell’s Beach.

Kortney Leabourne, At Large, announced that Team OCEAN has started for this season.

Paul Reilly, CA Dept of Fish and Game, announced the Nature Conservancy is involved in a trawl impact study in Morro Bay and Monterey Bay. He commented that he could ask Mary Gleason of the Nature Conservancy to give a presentation if the advisory council was interested.

Paul Michel announced that June 25th would have been Jacques Cousteau’s 100th birthday. In celebration of his life MBNMS staff will be hosting a beach cleanup in Santa Cruz with Save Our Shores. Everyone will be wearing red watch caps in remembrance of Cousteau. The purpose of this cleanup is to raise awareness of marine debris. Paul also mentioned there was a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Sanctuary Exploration Center on July 12th.

PJ Webb, At Large, announced the Coastal Discovery Fair would be on July 17th at the Coastal Discovery Center in San Simeon. PJ also mentioned there is a revival of sanctuary expansion talk to the rest of San Luis Obispo County by organizations and community members.

Randy Herz, Diving, announced the Annual Beach Photo Contest will be held August 6-8 in Monterey.

Steve Clark, Education, announced funding for the Sanctuary Exploration Center has been finalized. A grant for $30k has been secured for solar panels. Half of the funds for exhibits have been raised. The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation is working on signs and brochures for the Marine Life Protection Act. Voices of the Bay has received teacher recommendations on the curriculum. There have been 20 student films submitted to the BLUE Ocean Film Festival.

Dick Ely, At Large, commented that he appreciated the level of detail in the meeting agenda. He also mentioned he has had conversations with Deirdre Whalen, MBNMS Government & Community Relations Coordinator, about small canned presentations that advisory council members could give to civic groups and other outreach venues.

Rich Hughett, Recreational Fishing, expressed concern over kayak fishing.

Jiri Nozicka, Commercial Fishing, announced the People United for American Commercial Fisheries is trying to organize a Fisherman’s Festival at the end of August. He noted that individuals could visit Fisherman’s Festival exhibits and lectures after the August advisory council meeting. Jiri also mentioned he has been working with the sanctuary as part of Fishermen in the Classrooms.

NEXT MEETING: August 19th, 2010 in Watsonville
The meeting adjourned at 4:12 p.m.

Submitted by
Nicole Capps
Sanctuary Advisory Council Coordinator