MBNMS Business and Tourism Activity Panel (BTAP) Minutes January 25th, 2001

Meeting Date: January 25, 2001
Time: 9:30 – 11:30 AM
Location: MBNMS Conference Room

Attendance:

• Burke Pease, Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau, BTAP Co-Chair
• Dave Ebert, US Abalone, BTAP Co-Chair
• Jackie Lambert, Seaside/Sand City Chamber of Commerce
• Art Seavey, Monterey Abalone Company
• Bryndie Beach, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
• Michael Hemp, Cannery Row Company
• Dennis Long, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation
• Aaron King, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
• Brad Damitz, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
• Brady Phillips, Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Welcome and Introductions

Brady Phillips, Sanctuary Advisory Council and BTAP Coordinator, introduced Burke Pease as the new SAC Tourism representative and Dave Ebert as the new SAC Business/Industry representative. Dave and Burk are also the new co-chairs of the BTAP.

MBNMS Kelp Report Recommendations to CDFG

Aaron King provided BTAP members with an update on the Sanctuary Kelp Management Report recommendations to the California Dept. of Fish and Game (DFG). DFG will hold a hearing on its draft recommendations on February 2, which is the same day as the SAC meeting. Dave requested that the kelp agenda topic at the SAC meeting be moved to the last item so he and Aaron could give testimony in Sacramento and return to Monterey in time to address the SAC. Over the past year the kelp management report has been an important issue for the SAC and BTAP. Dave and Art appreciated that the BTAP provided a forum to bring issues important to the business community to the SAC and Sanctuary.

Sanctuary Advisory Council Meeting on 12/01/00

Brady Phillips provided a brief summary of issues discussed at the December 1st SAC meeting in Aptos. Issues included fiber optic cables, legislative update from Sam Farr’s office and Pacific Grove sewage spills.

Develop a clear mission and goals for the BTAP

Meeting participants discussed ways to increase interest and participation in the BTAP. Some ideas included:

• focus on diverse issues that could impact local businesses (sewage, desalination, fiber optic cables, moss landing power plant, management plan review, etc.). Some members noted that kelp harvesting was still the main topic even after an entire year.
• Include opportunities for local businesses to get involved in the sanctuary (50 ways brochure, festivals/events, trails, signs, etc.)
• Design meeting to be proactive where the BTAP formulates positions on relevant issues (i.e., fiber optic cable fair market analysis – business community feels could be a slippery slope to user fees; or on such issues as supporting projects that in the communities interest such as the water quality monitoring programs).
• Increase participation in BTAP by expanding mailing list and list serve base.
• Use the BTAP throughout the management plan review process.

The next BTAP meetings are schedule for April 25, July 25 and October 25. The meetings will rotate between the Monterey Peninsula and the Santa Cruz area.