MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary November 16th, 2007

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

Host: Chris Harrold- Marine Conservation Biology (Monterey Bay Aquarium)

Location: Ocean View Conference Room, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Date: Friday, November 16th, 2007; 8:45 am to 12:00 pm

In Attendance:

* Sanctuary Advisory Council Member: Research (Primary)

† Sanctuary Advisory Council Member: Research (Alternate)

CONSENT ITEMS

Introductions/modifications to the agenda (Chris Harrold)

• Dave Robinson (guest) from SeaLife Conservation (mission: to inspire conservation of the oceans and marine life by fostering awareness of the marine environment through hands on experience, involvement, education, and research) is working on fisheries and marine debris issues, aboard R/V Derek M Baylis. He is looking for a place to house data (GIS, etc.)

  • Steve Ramp offered CeNCOOS as a potential database host
  • Gary Sharp suggested the Central Coast Joint Data Committee
  • www.sealifeconservation.org

• Curt Storlazzi (USGS) brought draft map products (Half Moon Bay area) from California Coast State Waters Mapping Project (funded by CA State Bond money); Partners include: USGS, CSUMB (Rikk Kvitek), Center for Habitat Studies (Gary Greene), FUGRO, MBNMS (R/V Fulmar); when products are complete announcement will be posted on SIMoN website. In the meantime, a SIMoN project web page is available

PRESENTATIONS

Communicating Science-Based Solutions to Ocean Challenges (Aimee David/Center for the Future of the Oceans-MBA)

• MBA Mission: Inspire conservation of the oceans
• CFFO Mission: Inspire action for the conservation of the oceans
• CFFO goals:
  • Support creation of statewide network of MPAs
  • Promote national ocean policy reform
  • Raise awareness about sustainable seafood
  • Advocate for policies to conserve and restore key marine wildlife and ecosystems
• CFFO involved in following issues: MLPA; Aquaculture; Climate Change
• CFFO Long-term Vision: Healthy oceans and robust marine life

Central Coast Long-term Environmental Assessment Network (CCLEAN) (Dane Hardin/Applied Marine Sciences)

• CCLEAN objectives include:
  • Determine sources, amounts, effects of contaminants discharged to nearshore waters
  • Determine status and trends of nearshore waters, sediments, and associated beneficial uses
  • Determine whether nearshore waters and sediments within state and federal clean water standards
• Since the monitoring program began (~8 yr ago), major findings include:
  • Rivers are largest measured source of POPs and most nutrients
  • Fresh legacy pesticides still entering Monterey Bay and impairing beneficial uses
  • Some emergent contaminants of concern and endocrine disrupters may come mostly from wastewater

STAFF/SAC REQUESTS TO RAP

December SAC meeting: MPA science and process in federal waters (Chris Harrold)

• Chris presented the chronology of process
• The MBNMS MPA working group has not reached consensus on the need for MPAs
• At the September RAP meeting, the RAP requested an executive summary of the 5-year process and products of the MPA working group; "MBNMS MPA Initiative Timeline" from 2001-2007 was provided as hand-out (from Huff McGonigal)
• Chris briefly reviewed the next steps (as presented at the September RAP meeting)
• The MBNMS will seek advice from the SAC at the December meeting: Should MPAs (including Marine Reserves) be established in federal waters of the MBNMS?
• The three primary constituent groups of the Working Group (fishing, conservation, and research) will present their view on the need for MPAs in federal waters
• Chris will represent research, by answering the question, "How can science inform the decision?"
  • Frame the question as a testable hypothesis
  • Seek theoretical or empirical evidence that supports or refutes the hypothesis
  • Drawn conclusion based on the evidence
• Chris will focus his discussion on Marine Reserves (no-take areas)
• He will try to answer two questions from a scientific perspective:
  • Can marine reserves contribute to ecosystem protection goals of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act within the MBNMS?
  • What is the need?
• Approach:
  • What theoretical evidence is there to support or refute the hypothesis?
  • What empirical evidence is there to support or refute the hypothesis?
  • Will sharpen the focus to temperate, deep/offshore waters
• The question of need will focus on threats to Sanctuary resources, and whether MPAs can address the threats
• If RAP members have additional input, send to email to Chris

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Sanctuary Currents Symposium planning update (Chris Harrold)

• Symposium will be held at CSUMB on April 5, 2008
• Symposium Theme: Impacts of Climate Change on our Oceans
• Topics include:
  • Current understanding of climate change (Global)
  • Impacts of climate change on oceans (Global to MBNMS)
  • Human response, mitigation, adaptation (MBNMS focus)
• Speakers are being lined up; need to be local (no travel money)
• RAP can send speaker suggestions to Chris

Ed Ricketts Memorial Award/Lecture & Sanctuary Currents Reflection Science Award nominations (Erica Burton/MBNMS)

• Nominations are being sought for the two science awards
• Send nominations (including paragraph of support) to Erica by Dec 7th
• RAP Voting will be held via email (~Dec 21st - Jan 10th)

Science acronyms in the MBNMS (Erica Burton/MBNMS)

• A list of acronyms, commonly used when addressing research issues on the MBNMS, was created for the new Superintendent (Paul Michel)
• The list could be useful to the RAP; list will be included in the RAP binder and on the RAP web site (PDF available here)
• Send updates or suggestions to Erica

SUGGESTED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Future Agenda Items (running list):

• Water Quality
  • Findings tracking pathogens in sea otters and connection to FW flows (CDFG, UCDavis?)
  • Critical coastal areas presentation (ASBS, areas water quality impaired, areas in good state; Ross Clark)
• Food Safety Measures and Affected Wildlife (Mary Yoklavich)
• SIMoN: future monitoring (JMPR or beyond)
• SIMoN Special Status Species Project (Jennifer Brown)
• Coastal armoring and coastal erosion (Ed Thornton)
• Linking SIMoN to management (Amber Szoboszlai; January 2008)
• CeNCOOS - Steve Ramp (January 2008)
• Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea (COMPASS)
• Wave Model Development and Implementation (Paul Wittmann/Fleet Numerical)
• CINMS MPA evaluation (Mark Carr/NCEAS)