MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary September 10th, 2004

Research Activity Panel Meeting Summary
Chris Harrold, Monterey Bay Aquarium, RAP Chair

MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary September 10th, 2004

Host: Institute for MPA Science, Monterey, CA

In Attendance:

Institution Representatives

• Chris Harrold (Chair), Monterey Bay Aquarium
• Jeff Paduan (Vice-Chair), NPS
• Andrew DeVogelaere (RAP Coordinator), MBNMS
• Steve Moore, CSUMB
• Mark Carr, UCSC
• Greg Cailliet, MLML
• Michael Field, USGS
• Kerstin Wasson, ESNERR
• Caroline Pomeroy (At-Large), UCSC
• Charles Wahle (At-Large), Institute for MPA Science
• Aaron King (At-Large), Institute for MPA Science
• Gary Sharp (Special Advisor), Center for Climate/Ocean Resources Study

Guests:

• Deborah Streeter, SAC Chair
• Holly Price, MBNMS
• Josh Pederson, MBNMS/SIMoN
• Jenne Holmgren , MBNMS/SIMoN
• Sarah Lyons, Institute for MPA Science
• Rick Hanks, CCNM
• Robin Tokmakian, NPS

PRESENTATIONS

Institutional Update: Institute for MPA Science (Charlie Wahle and Aaron King)

The National MPA (Marine Protected Areas) Center is set up in collaboration with NOAA and an MPA Executive Order. Its goals are: to provide stewardship for the effectiveness of MPAs, to create a comprehensive and effective national system of MPAs, and to enhance the coordination and communication on MPA issues.

Two projects in support of these goals were outlined:

1. PLANNING - Six Phases to a Comprehensive National System of Marine Protected Areas:
   • Laying the foundation (current area of focus)
   • Defining the Structure
   • Defining the Existing System
   • Planning the Comprehensive system
   • Integrating the Comprehensive System
   • Implementing the Comprehensive System

Note: Charlie will send out the graphic with information on the six phases.

2. NAVIGATING the MPA - Navigating the Nation's Marine Protected Areas: A Collaboration Between NOAA's National MPA Center and the Office of Coast Survey:
   • 'United States Coast Pilot' (USCP), produced by NOAA, is a series of nine books for mariners. It is a narrative of coastal landmarks and resources for all US coastal shoreline. Note: Book 7 is CA coast & HI.
   • Project: Moving from the MPA Inventory (inventory database and other resources) to new navigation products. The goal is to synthesize and standardize MPA information to insert into 'Coast Pilot'. All MPA information is in review at NOAA. (current area of focus)
   • Objective: To insert into 'Coast Pilot' a standard set of information for each MPA plus:
     • Regional map or chart that shows all of the MPAs in front cover of each book
     • Summary of each MPA sequentially inserted in Coast Pilot narrative such that as navigation description gets to an MPA boundary, there is a statement like 'you are entering MPA waters', a description of the MPA, what mariners need to know (i.e., rules), who to contact, etc. The California coast is narrative from south to north.
     • Summary matrices of regulated or restricted activities and legal mandates for each MPA.
   • Timeline: Central California demonstration copy is currently submitted for NOAA internal review on usefulness of the display of the information. The project is part of NOAA, NOS, and Office of the Coast Survey (OCS)
     • 9/27/04-11/1/04 is a Public review/comment period (pdf file)
     • Early summer 2005 - Production begins using the final format, proceeding state by state. To be revised as changes occur.
     • Late Summer 2005 - Demonstration project unveiled on Navigation MPAs II, the integration of 'Coast Pilot' MPA information with electronic charts.

Regional Ecological Do-Loops versus Meaningless Means (Gary Sharp)

Managing Fisheries Globally: Observations of changes and in-situ information are essential and need to be online so they are accessible for all to review. Mathematical convenience has been shown to not provide the whole and/or correct answer. For example, equilibrium is a mathematical convenience never observed in nature. From global climate observations and fish population changes with warm and cold water periods, we have learned that management of fisheries will need to vary. For example, when a warm water period begins, we manage fisheries one way and when a cold water period begins, we manage it another way with lag periods built it for juveniles (such as rockfish) to mature.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

The RAP: Celebrating the Past and Planning the Future (Chris Harrold)

Replacing the RAP Vice-Chair:

• Vice Chair Jeff Paduan is stepping down once a new person is in place. Robin Tokmakian, NPS, is will stand-in for Jeff in the interim.
• A formal announcement will be made that the SAC alternate position is open.
• RAP members are invited to send a nomination or two to Chris Harrold, RAP Chair. The nominee does not have to be someone who currently sits on the RAP committee. Other subcommittees will be asked to make recommendations for chair or vice chair.
• Chris will notify nominees, then collate and send email to RAP members. RAP members will vote for their top choice.

Overview of RAP Chair and Vice-Chair Responsibilities:

• RAP Chair:
  • Attend six SAC meetings every other month as a voting member and RAP representative.
  • Chair and attend all rap meetings.
  • Serve on more than one subcommittee/working group, ex Special MPA committee.
  • There is not a lot of homework. This depends on how pro-active one wants to be.
  • Needs to be a good team worker to help on consensus, a good listener and have good communication skills needed for SAC which is a diverse group of 20 voting members plus several other members.
  • Serves as representative of marine science community.
• RAP Vice Chair:
  • Fills in for RAP Chair when not available for any of the duties described above.
  • Stays abreast of SAC activities in case and when needed to fill in.
  • Term is three years.
• The SAC values what the RAP representative (chair/vice chair) has to say. Many SAC members are not scientists.

Planning the future of the RAP:

• Topics for Discussion:
  • What has RAP done and been successful doing
  • The environment we are working in now is changed from when Rap started and will change as we look forward
  • The needs of constituencies RAP is set up to serve, like MBNMS
  • SAC expectations of RAP
  • RAP member understanding of RAP role and the institutions that each represents
  • RAP Purpose - What strategies need to be in place to achieve the purpose? How do we go about doing our business and does that serve the purpose?
    

Past accomplishments and the history of the RAP:

• 1988 - First meetings included Sam Farr, Leon Panetta and others, calling themselves the Marine Lab Committee
• 1992 - Sanctuary designated. 13 institutions represented.
• A formal working group, called Reserve Advisory Committee. Brought research institutions together for information sharing for the first time. Name changed to RAP, since the word 'committee' has many legal requirements. Plan to meet 8 times/year.

Responsibilities of the RAP:

• RAP guidance from SAC Charter (1994)
  • Section III: Working Groups, Subcommittees, and Task Forces
  • PROTOCOL F: Working Groups, Subcommittees, And Task Forces

Policies of the RAP (posted on the web):

• http://montereybay.noaa.gov/research/RAPhistory/rap_policies.html

Role of the RAP - Now compared to early formative years:

• Environment now:
  • Sanctuary staff now handles some of the brush fire tasks and will call members directly when help is needed.
  • Institutions around MBNMS have increased in number and work more collaboratively now.
  • JMPR handles some of the former RAP tasks, such as desal.
  • Marine conservation is more important today. Institutional roles have changed over past 15 years, with new expertise.
  • Means of communication has changed - grant and job opportunities, seminars, research findings are all on the web now.

SAC Perspective - Deborah Streeter, SAC Chair:

• 20 voting members (RAP chair is one), plus non-voting members
• 11 marine sanctuaries, each has a SAC, most have a research seat
• SAC Chair is a member-at-large, with role to bring consensus to the table.
• 4 working groups in SAC:
  • Research Activity Panel
  • Conservation Working Group
  • Sanctuary Education Panel
  • Business and Tourism Activities Panel
  • Each working group is currently poised to re-examine what their purpose is, as the RAP is now doing.
• SAC has two roles:
  • To advise from each constituent on SAC, for each constituent.
  • To take back Sanctuary information to their constituencies.
• The new chair focus is on educating the public about what Sanctuary is doing.
• Comment: In all the years there has never been a survey to learn what the average consumer knows about and thinks of the sanctuary (Aaron King)
• What two things could SAC do?
  • Learn about what Sanctuary is doing and take it back to your community.
  • Consider and respond to requests from RAP. RAP words have good credibility in SAC.

SUGGESTED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

• Continuation of discussion of Role of RAP
• Question: How does RAP sustain attendance of institutional members (Gary Sharp)
• SIMoN /Sanctuary Currents Update
• Not meeting in October. Next meeting November 19th at Hopkins.