MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary January 8th, 2010

Research Activity Panel: Meeting Summary
Chris Harrold, RAP Chair

Host:
James Lindholm - Nearshore Ecology (CSUMB)

Location:
Tanimura and Antle Family Memorial Library (Building 508, Rm 1176)
Divarty Street
California State University Monterey Bay
Seaside, CA

Date: Friday, January 8th, 2010; 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)

• New RAP Members (not present)
  • Jason Scorse, Social Science (alternate), MIIS
  • Steve Haddock, Deep-Sea Ecology (alternate), MBARI
  • Recruitment for other open seats in progress

HOST PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION

Visualization and Analysis of Spatial Data at CSUMB (Lindholm)

• James presented several research projects/collaborations at CSUMB, including:
• COAST: Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology
  • www.calstate.edu/coast/
  • 6 Technology Centers (nodes) are being established
  • One of which is SIVA (Spatial Information Visualization and Analysis)
    • http://seafloor.csumb.edu/siva/siva-home.shtml
    • SIVA encompasses a suite of labs at CSUMB
    • Students learn how to use tools, do science
      • IfAME: Institute for Applied Marine Ecology (http://sep.csumb.edu/ifame/home.php)
      • Project in Southern Estero Bay: Recovery of Seafloor Habitats and Associated Taxa Under Variable Levels of Trawling Effort (partners: IfAME, MBNMS, Nature Conservancy, MARe, NMFS, fishermen)
• Trawl impact studies at Stellwagon Bank, Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones NMS

DISCUSSION

2009 RAP Accomplishments (Harrold)

• Chris presented a list of 2009 RAP accomplishments
• http://montereybay.noaa.gov/sac/rap/history/rap_activities.html
• Weak attendance at recent RAP meetings prompted discussion of how frequently the RAP meets. RAP members suggested 4 meetings per year, rather than 6, may lead to higher attendance. This discussion to be continued at a later date.

PRESENTATION

DeHavilland Twin Otter (DHC-6): New Research Asset in MBNMS (LT Jason Mansour/NOAAís Office of Marine and Aviation Operations)

• Jason presented NOAA movie on Twin Otter
• Uses of Twin Otter
  • Remote sensing
  • Marine Life Surveys
  • Enforcement
  • Emergency response
  • Ocean vessel use surveys/surveillance
• Aircraft Utilization
  • West coast operations: November-June
  • Current funding allows for 5 hrs aerial support for one NMS, per week (150 total flight hrs)
  • NOAA program mission requests are routed to squadron for review and approval
  • Specific training requirements for scientific crew members (one time exemption)
• http://montereybay.noaa.gov/research/platforms/twinotter.html
• Contact: Jason.Mansour@noaa.gov

DISCUSSION ITEMS

SIMoN Water Quality Monitoring Viewer (Gary Conley/MBNMS)

• Gary presented the online Central Coast Water Quality Monitoring Viewer
• Available on SIMoN website:
  • www.sanctuarysimon.org/regional_sections/maps/index.php
• A web portal for WG monitoring programs and sites; metadata level info
• Created for better coordination and data sharing, more efficient allocation of resources, greater leverage for knowledge needs, less work for assessments
• Effort is part of the Synthesis Assessment and Management (SAM) project
• Staff will continue to add monitoring programs/sites to Viewer

Sanctuary Currents (Erica Burton/MBNMS)

• Erica requested nominations for the Ed Ricketts Memorial Award and Lecture
  • http://montereybay.noaa.gov/research/ricketts.html
• Erica will send email call for nominations; voting will follow

SUGGESTED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

• Where is MPA/IEA process headed (per Lindholm)
• John Trent (OMEGA; or other biofuels topic) (per Hunt)
• Mike Graham algae/abalone work at Kaiser Property (per Cailliet)

Future Agenda Items (running list):

• Water Quality
  • Critical coastal areas presentation (ASBS, areas water quality impaired, areas in good state; Ross Clark)
• SIMoN
  • SIMoN Special Status Species Project (Jennifer Brown)
• 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
• Recent event: Supreme Court allows Navy Sonar (per John Hunt)
• Predicting sea level rise for the state of California (Larry Breaker, JPL, OPC)
• CeNCOOS update (new website: activities)
• High-res models of CA (Cayan or Dettinger/USGS)
• MBNMS Desal Guidelines (Brad Damitz)
• National Weather Service Forecast Office (Tom Evans, Warning Coordination Meteorologist)
• Offshore Membrane Enclosures for Growing Algae (OMEGA; Jonathan Trent, NASA-AMES)
• Presentation on IEAs (e.g., Phil Levin, Frank Schwing, John Stein), including IEAs that have been implemented (per Yoklavich)
• MPAs
  • MPA monitoring projects (Jason Vasques)
  • Marine Spatial Planning presentation (per Harrold); Fio recently heard Marine Spatial Planning talk from Massachusetts, or speaker from Center for Ocean Solutions (Meg Caldwell)
  • MBNMS Marine Protected Area Process: Enhanced Ecosystem Management Initiative (Paul Michel)