MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary January 9th, 2009

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

Host: James Lindholm - Nearshore Ecology (CSUMB)

Location: Boardroom at the Alumni & Visitor's Center (Building 97),
Fourth Avenue,
California State University Monterey Bay,
Seaside, CA

Date: Friday, January 9th, 2009; 9:00 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)

• Ellen Faurot-Daniels is stepping down from RAP (1/30/09); she has taken new job with OSPR/CDFG; therefore "Marine Policy" primary discipline is open

PRESENTATIONS

Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (James Lindholm)

• Lindholm gave an overview of CSUMB bachelor and masters program/degrees, within Institute for Applied Marine Ecology
• Lindholm summarized recent and current research activities

MBNMS Federal MPAs Initiative (Steve Scheiblauer/City of Monterey)

• Supporting Material
  1. Letter from Paul Michel to SAC (dated 2/15/08; PDF available here)
  2. Letter from Paul Michel to SAC (dated 4/15/08; PDF available here)
  3. Letter from Scheiblauer to Harrold (dated 11/21/08; PDF available here)
  4. Letter from Harrold to Scheiblauer (dated 11/24/08; PDF available here)
  5. Email from Chris Harrold to RAP LISTSERV (12/5/08; LISTSERV delivery failed), Erica Burton subsequently forwarded Harrold's email to RAP LISTSERV (12/8/08; Subject: Harrold: Role of the MBNMS RAP); email contained Letter from Harrold to Michel (dated 1/14/08; PDF available here)
• Background Info
  • Scheiblauer (Harbor Master, Monterey) wrote a letter to the RAP chair (dated 11/21/08) requesting time to speak at a RAP meeting, to request that the RAP provide individual, and a collective, opinion as to the need for MPAs within federal waters of MBNMS for unmet research needs
• Chris Harrold reviewed the RAP's involvement in the sanctuary's MPA process to date.
• Discussion ensued. No consensus emerged regarding the individual and collective opinion that Steve Scheiblauer is seeking. Rather, this discussion blended into the next discussion item.

STAFF/SAC REQUESTS TO RAP

Info Request: RAP's role in MBNMS Federal MPAs Initiative and Beyond (Paul Michel/MBNMS)

• Paul Michel highlighted the RAP's involvement in the MPA issue
  • RAP has addressed the MPA issue many times over the years
  • MBNMS will continue to solicit RAP's input on process
  • MBNMS is still in the beginning stages of this new process
  • MBNMS is faced with managing the Sanctuary using an ecosystem-based approach
  • The sanctuary intends to form an MPA Working Group, and a Science Panel
  • The sanctuary hopes the RAP will:
    • Help refine the disciplines on the Science Panel
    • Continue to have this item on the RAP agenda
    • Review products from the Science Panel
    • Provide input on research questions for the MPA proposals
• Harrold presented a potential list of Working Group disciplines, and Science Panel disciplines (using input from November 2008 RAP meeting).
• Mike Eng gave a brief overview of the NEPA process that the sanctuary will follow in the MPA process.
• Extensive discussion ensued, and touched on: composition of the working groups, coordination with fisheries agencies, enforcement, and authority, process and timeline.
• There was consensus that the RAP should be involved in the MPA process in a more intimate way than has been the case to date. The sanctuary's MPA process will be a standing RAP agenda item. Chris will bring a "straw man" proposal of RAP involvement to the next RAP meeting.

Recognition of Greg Cailliet for Extraordinary Service to the RAP

• Greg Cailliet (Deep-sea Ecology, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories) was recognized for his long-term leadership and participation in the RAP, and for surpassing an attendance record of more than 100 meetings
• Andrew DeVogelaere presented Greg with a jacket with MBNMS logo; and a tasseled-fez with the monogram, "Grand Poobah, 100, Sanctuary RAP"

Info Request: Sanctuary Characterizatin Image Display (SCID): Visualizing the Sanctuary (James Lindholm)

• Following a research cruise, the Sanctuary has the goal of sharing summary info (e.g., images, video) with the public as soon as possible
• Lindholm presented the SCID project: Sanctuary Characterization Image Display; a web-based method of presenting geo-referenced images and video clips on an interactive map
• Partners:
  • Institute for Applied Marine Ecology at CSU Monterey Bay
  • SIMoN/MBNMS
• Source Data: camera sled video transects (2006, 2007, 2008)
  • North Bay/Soquel Canyon area
  • Point Lobos Area
  • Point Sur area
  • Piedras Blancas area
• In the future, Delta Sub and ROV video may be incorporated into SCID
• Products:
  • Portal to view images that is non-threatening to data analysis
  • Images, video clips
  • Species lists
• Website will reside on CSUMB server (indefinitely)
• SCID will soon be available on SIMoN website
• Info available at: http://sep.csumb.edu/iame/s/index.html
• Request: RAP was asked to contribute relevant videos to the SCID project
• Storlazzi: mentioned USGS's "usSEABED" database; which could be a warehouse for SCID's georeferenced seabed information
  • usSEABED is a queryable database, for all of the U.S.
  • USGS is interested in any kind of geo-referenced seabed data (currently USGS is mining data back to '60s)
  • Openly accessible to all
  • http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/usseabed/
  • Principal Investigator: Jane Reid (jareid@usgs.gov)

Info Request: Compiling MLPA monitoring information (Andrew DeVogelaere/Gary Conley)

• The Sanctuary/SIMoN is interested in monitoring information, and wants to know what role they can play in the MLPA monitoring effort
• Gary presented new SIMoN map, including existing National Registry and SIMoN projects that occur in MPAs
• MBNMS is looking for researchers/institutions with data to contribute to this effort, along with providing associated info for SIMoN Project Pages
• http://www.sanctuarysimon.org/monterey/sections/reserves/mpa_projectsmap.php
• RAP was concerned socio-economic data was not included; MBNMS staff are interested in including

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Sanctuary Currents Research Posters and Awards (Erica Burton/MBNMS)

• Erica provided an update on the Sanctuary Currents Symposium
  • Saturday, April 18, 2009 at Hyatt Regency, Monterey
  • Theme: Back to the Future: Preserving the Sanctuary by Exploring its Past
• The Call for Research Posters was announced via email (12/18/08), and abstracts are now being accepted by Steve Choy via email (Sea Grant Fellow, steve.choy@noaa.gov)
• Instructions for Research Posters is on the SIMoN website (http://www.sanctuarysimon.org/monterey/posters/)
• RAP members were reminded to send their votes for the two science awards to Erica Burton via email by 1/15/09

SUGGESTED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Future Agenda Items (running list):

• Water Quality
  • Findings on tracking pathogens in sea otters and connection to FW flows (CDFG, UC Davis?)
  • Critical coastal areas presentation (ASBS, areas water quality impaired, areas in good state; Ross Clark)
• SIMoN
  • SIMoN: future monitoring (JMPR or beyond)
  • SIMoN Special Status Species Project (Jennifer Brown)
  • Linking SIMoN to management (Amber Szoboszlai)
  • SIMoN accomplishments or future plans, partnerships (per Curt Storlazzi)
• MPAs
  • MPA science synthesis - MLPA (Mark Carr)
  • MPA monitoring projects (Jason Vasques)
• Coastal armoring and coastal erosion (Ed Thornton)
• Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea (COMPASS)
• Wave Model Development and Implementation (Paul Wittmann/Fleet Numerical)
• Data integration across monitoring programs (e.g., water quality, PISCO, MARINe, IOOS), and availability to the public
• Santa Cruz Visitors Center update by Lisa Uttal (schedule when NMFS is RAP host)
• MARS cable (per Kildow, speaker = Marcia or other, schedule when MBARI hosts)
• Recent event: Supreme Court allows Navy Sonar (per John Hunt)
• NOAA Twin Otter plane comes to Monterey
• RAP identified priority of topics below:
  1. SIMoN
  2. MPA Science Synthesis - MLPA (Mark Carr)