MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary November 12th, 2010

Research Activity Panel: Meeting Summary
Chris Harrold, RAP Chair

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

Location:
Ocean View Conference Room
Monterey Bay Aquarium
886 Cannery Row
Monterey, CA

Date: Friday, November 12th, 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 (Harrold)

• 2011 RAP meeting schedule: sign-up sheet passed around to host a meeting
• Updated MBNMS map/poster available for RAP members

ENHANCED ECOSYSTEM-BASED MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

Update: Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) and Research Areas Workshop (DeVogelaere)

• Sanctuary embarking on Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) Initiative
• Marine zoning already occurring off central California
• Four goals of the EBM Initiative
  • Protect unique and rare places within MBNMS in their natural state for future generations
  • Protect areas within MBNMS where natural ecosystem components are maintained and/or restored
  • Establish research areas within MBNMS that can be used to differentiate between natural variation versus human impacts to ecological processes and components
  • Promote sustainable uses within MBNMS to enhance resource protection while allowing compatible uses
• Research Areas Workshop was held at NMFS, Santa Cruz, 26 October 2010
  • Asked scientists how current marine zoning influences their work
• Discussed the potential role of scientists in these zoning processes (e.g., stakeholders, advisors)
• Written report will be sent to workshop participants

HOST PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION

Overview of Research at Monterey Bay Aquarium (Dr. Mike Murray/Monterey Bay Aquarium)

• Mike Murray gave presentation on status of sea otter population in North Pacific (including central California coast)
• Collaborative research program to the north, “Coastal ecosystem response to influences from land and sea”
• Question: what factors are contributing to status trends to sea otter populations and expansions
• Populations face threats from various sources:
  • Watershed influences
  • Oceanic influences (marine productivity)
  • Density dependent factors
• Sea otters are being used as sentinels for ecosystem health; sea otters occur in the nearshore and are depth limited (200+ meters diving depth); life-span only 12-15 yrs in wild; therefore can be used as sentinels for nearshore processes, at decade-long scales
• Major threat to southern population suppression is infectious diseases (the why and how are being investigated); of the beachcast carcasses that died of infectious diseases, about 40% died from toxoplasma (land-based toxin), all evidence suggests there must be a cat source (domestic or wild)
• Murray noted recent publication that describes sea turtles as biosentinel for runoff, see: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0012900

RESEARCH SCIENTISTS AS MBNMS STAKEHOLDERS

Research Scientists as MBNMS Stakeholders (Harrold)

• Scientists are more than advisors, and don’t act like it, unless there is a threat
• Is there something we can or should do to better act as stakeholders?

RAP Discussion

• Research is valuable to the area (Griggs: ~$250 million budget among institutions)
• We have to be careful with the perception of scientists as stakeholders; We have to be careful to remain objective
• We are told that we are not stakeholders; we are told not to participate at that level (as advocates)
• Scientists are typically brought in to provide info, and rarely asked to sit at the table; wondering if scientists can be used for decision making at the management table
• We need scientists to disseminate/distribute info at the table, and effectively provide info to management; don’t necessarily have to be at the table
• Perhaps scientists (or subcommittee) can work with the sanctuary to think about these things more carefully: 1) research permits; 2) advise how to spend funds; 3) management that could affect science
• Major points out of this discussion (Harrold):
  • Research community has negative perception of MBNMS research permits
  • Research stakeholders could advise/influence the directing of funding towards research
  • Research stakeholders could influence management decisions
  • Research stakeholders could watch out for research interests
  • Research community believes there is competition for vessels/funds
• Scientific opinions on positions could better inform public policy
• Perhaps the problem is not knowing where the public policy decisions are happening (e.g., AMBAG), perhaps MBNMS or MBCORC could share that info
• Vasques is interested in providing input regarding CDFG permits
• ACTION: Harrold suggested DeVogelaere, Harrold, Burton create list to move forward and share with group

MBNMS RESEARCH FOCUS TOPICS OF RAP

MBNMS Research Focus Topics of RAP (Harrold)

• Chris outlined the topic, and presented a “straw man” for RAP discussion
• RAP is a working group of SAC
• RAP has broad goals
• In 2006, membership reorganized to include representative research disciplines and institutions
• The RAP has often raised the issue of what topics the RAP "could sink its teeth into" That is, what are the research priorities that the RAP should engage in
• Because the RAP is in service to the MBNMS and its SAC, these priorities should reflect the priorities of the Sanctuary
• Sanctuary research priorities are interspersed throughout the 426-page management plan
• Harrold proposes that the RAP and the Sanctuary together identify a small number of important research priorities on which the RAP could focus. These would not exclude discussion and consideration of other topics. They would, however, help us focus.
• John Hunt, Andrew DeVogelaere, Erica Burton and Chris Harrold drafted a "straw man" list of RAP research priorities to start the discussion
• This “straw man” list was provided to RAP members and discussed
  • Beach COMBERS: beach-cast carcass surveys, analysis, and interpretation
    • Data extremely valuable to MBNMS and others institutions on the central CA coast; currently no MBNMS funding going to it
  • Research areas component of the Sanctuary's Ecosystem-Based Management Initiative, and/or other roles in that process
  • Researchers as stakeholders. This is a different role from providing scientific advice. It's more about how Sanctuary actions or inactions affect the regional research endeavor
  • Recent initiative to review/recommend research related to opening a commercial halibut fishery in Monterey Bay
• Chris asked: What do RAP members think of this list? What should be added? Removed? Replaced? Modified?

RAP Discussion: What are the scientific topics that we want to sink our teeth into, and influence MBNMS?

• What do RAP members think of the list?
• Halibut Trawl RAP Subcommittee was a good example of a task for RAP; with RAP diversity, trawl group had knowledge (or knew about it)
• It would be good to know what SAC expects
  • At the SAC retreat a shotgun list of priorities was created, and will be prioritized for next 2 years
• Researchers as Stakeholders – Perhaps keep on list of RAP focus topics

• What should be added?
• Impacts of climate change
  • Priority for Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS)
  • New Ocean Climate Center at Gulf of the Farallones NMS office (Oct 2010), leading the ONMS effort to address climate change
  • Perhaps GF Superintendent can speak at future RAP meeting
• Ecosystem-Based Management Initiative (EBMI) & Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA)
  • Seems like a natural way for RAP to get involved, and could be significant; we could help sanctuary form a more meaningful role; making EBMI more transparent to us and we influence it, working on it periodically
  • If we are going to think of ourselves as advisors, it would be good to get presentation from NMFS
  • Perhaps Phil Levin (IEA PI from NMFS/Seattle, or other) could give a presentation to the RAP
  • RAP doesn’t meet frequently compared to speed of IEA, perhaps need subcommittee
  • RAP is interested
  • Perhaps Rikki Dunsmore (MBNMS Environmental Policy Advisor) could give a presentation to the RAP
• Research Permits
  • Perhaps add to list of RAP focus topics

HALIBUT FISHERY PROPOSAL

Update on Subcommittee Activities and Report (DeVogelaere)

• Review is not complete
• Goal was to review proposal to reopen halibut trawl fishery
• Reopening fishery would require change to California state regulations (Fish and Game Commission)
• RAP Subcommittee was formed to review proposal
• Literature list became very long
• Subcommittee chose to review local reviews
• Bycatch studies were not optimal
• Committee likely to suggest new local study would be appropriate
• In the mean time, Assemblymember Bill Monning (27th District) set up discussion group, and determined research study should be done locally
• A project that can be a model for this one is The Nature Conservancy/CSUMB work in Morro Bay

SANCTUARY RESEARCH UPDATE

None

SANCTUARY ADVISORY COUNCIL UPDATE

None

SUGGESTED FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

• EBMI/IEA presentation
• GFNMS presentation on climate change (Haddock)
• Dedicated meeting on climate change with GFNMS and those doing actual research (McPhee-Shaw)
• Policy update from Aimee David (Ramp)

GUEST COMMENTS

• Dominic Gregorio (State Water Resources Control Board) offered to arrange a presentation on mussel watch data assessment for last 25 years; legislation to create state monitoring council
• Randy Herz (California Ships to Reefs) read a written statement on sinking of artificial reef in MBNMS and associated research; requested “California Ships to Reefs” to give presentation to RAP
  • RAP asked Herz to submit something in writing to inform the RAP
  • Post-meeting: Herz sent PDF to Erica Burton for RAP distribution; Burton emailed to RAP; those interested would comment directly to Herz

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)
• 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 (UCSC; or Cayan or Dettinger/USGS)
• National Weather Service Forecast Office (Tom Evans, Warning Coordination Meteorologist)
• Presentation on IEAs (e.g., Phil Levin, Frank Schwing, John Stein), including IEAs that have been implemented (per Yoklavich)
• MPAs
  • State MPA monitoring projects (Jason Vasques)
  • Marine Spatial Planning presentation (per Harrold); Fio Micheli recently heard Marine Spatial Planning talk from Massachusetts; or speaker from Center for Ocean Solutions (Meg Caldwell)
• Ken Johnson work in Elkhorn Slough (per McPhee-Shaw)
• Aimee David volunteered to provide list of policy issues that are current (from D.C., Sacramento) that may need science input
• GFNMS Climate Change report (John Largier, CeNCOOS), what differences MBNMS might see (per Starr)
• Focus a meeting on climate change (per McPhee/Storlazzi):
  • Global view
  • CA coast (Lisa Sloan, UCSC; sea level rise, Breaker)
  • GFNMS/CBNMS (Largier)
  • Local/MBNMS (who? Curt?)
  • Perhaps MBCORC hosts a 1 or 2 day science meeting (per Storlazzi)