MBNMS RAP Meeting Summary January 11th, 2002

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

JANUARY 2002 RAP MEETING

Host: National Undersea Research Program
Friday, January 11, 2002 9am-12pm

In Attendance:

Members

• Chris Harrold, Monterey Bay Aquarium - Chair
  
• Jeff Paduan, Naval Postgraduate School – Vice Chair
  
• Andrew DeVogelaere, MBNMS – RAP Coordinator
  
• Greg Cailliet, Moss Landing Marine Labs
  
• Churchill Grimes, NOAA/NMFS
  
• Deborah Johnston, CA DFG/Monterey
  
• Steve Moore, CSUMB
  
• Dan Costa, UCSC
  
• Charles Paull, MBARI
  
• Jan Roletto, GFNMS/CBNMS
  
• Mark Stephenson, CDFG/Mar. Pollution Studies Lab
  
• Kerstin Wasson, ESNERR
  
• Geoff Wheat, NOAA/NURP

Guests

• Erica Burton, MBNMS
  
• Kelly Newton, MBNMS
  
• Mario Tamburri, MBARI
  
• Aaron King, NOAA/MPAC
  
• Stephanie, ESNERR

Announcements

Chris Harrold thanked Mario Tamburri & Ed Delong for their participation with the RAP over the last 2 1/2 years. Chris then welcomed the new MBARI alternate representative Charles Paull. The main representative, Francisco Chavez, was unable to attend.

PRESENTATIONS

Institutional Update: National Undersea Research Program (Geoff Wheat)

Geoff listed many of the projects funded by the National Undersea Research Program for 2002. Projects include: work on the Axial Seamount, hydrothermal vent research, Tanner Crab research, and developing the marine mammal critter cam. This year 22 proposals were received, and 8 were funded. Work is being done at Santa Clara University to develop a shallow water ROV with a long tether. Other ROV work includes a NSF proposal to run a ROV off of a CTD cable on UNOLS ships. The west coast budget for NURP is $2.6 million, the total NURP budget is $13.8 million, and budget growth looks promising. A new NURP center will be built in Mississippi.

Research priorities for the MBNMS Management Plan update (Chris Harrold)

Chris gave the same presentation to the RAP that he presented at the SAC meeting in October. There are 4 main MBNMS Research Program goals: facilitate, characterize, inform, and interpret. The central role of MBNMS is to integrate marine research in resource management decisions.

After Chris’s presentation there was a discussion about the status of ship time on the R/V McArthur. Prior to Sustainable Seas, the RAP played a large role in selecting projects for the Sanctuaries ship time. This year the McArthur will be in the Sanctuary, but it will be a coordinated effort through the Sanctuaries Headquarters. Currently, Sanctuary Headquarters is evaluating each Sanctuaries ship time.

Greg suggested going back to the Research Plan and updating it to reflect current research activities. He also suggested bringing in socioeconomic information into the new plan. Everyone agreed that now would be a good time to update the Research Plan to coincide with the Management Plan Review.

DISCUSSION

Re-evaluating the role of the RAP Part I: What are the needs of the Research Institutions and are they being met? (Chris Harrold/Andrew DeVogelaere)

Many good comments were made by RAP members regarding their role on the RAP and the needs of their institutions including:

• “Networking” across research institutions.
  
• “Showcasing” institutions as RAP meeting locations rotate among members.
  
• Information exchange between research groups on opportunities for collaborative research and funding.
  
• Learning about opportunities to apply research for resource management.
  
• Incorporating sound science into resource management.
  
• Ability to influence Sanctuary policy through the SAC and exchanges with MBNMS staff.
  
• Participation in development of the Sanctuary Currents Symposia and awards.
  
• Access to NOAA research platforms.
  
• Ability to help develop centrally located information through SIMoN.
  
• Fills a key need to facilitate regional research (resource allocation and information sharing).
  
• Provide a voice for issues that impact research activities.

INFORMATION ITEMS

Cal COFI Update (Greg Cailliet)

An alliance has formed to take on the task of bringing the CalCOFI lines north and inshore. Locally, Greg and George Boelhert are the coordinators. The mission of the Alliance is to make CalCOFI a California effort not just southern California. There will be a meeting in a few weeks & Greg will email the information to the RAP.

Sanctuary Currents 2002 Award Recipients (Andrew DeVogelaere)

Andrew announced that Jane Lubchenco will give the Ricketts Memorial Lecture at the symposium this year. The Research Award will be presented to Steve Eittreim for his work on the continental shelf mapping.

SAC Meeting update (Chris Harrold)

Most of the SAC meeting was dedicated to comments on the Joint Management Plan Review. Comments included issues in the agricultural community, jet skis, boundary issues, SAC representation, and many supported the Alliance. Dave Clayton brought up the issue of beach closures and the possibility of conducting a microbial analysis during a closure. There was an announcement about the Fisherman’s Forum. It will be an educational event for fishermen to be held at the Pajaro Dunes Colony in March. The forum is by invitation only. For more information please see: http://montereybay.nos.noaa.gov/intro/advisory/advisory.html

NMFS Research Cruise update (Churchill Grimes)

The NMFS Santa Cruz Laboratory conducted a cruise near the Big Creek Reserve to evaluate the effectiveness of laser line scanners to detect impacts of fishing on the seafloor. The laser line scanner produces a high-resolution level image of the seafloor. Chruchill showed the RAP some of these images and described how the instrument works.

MBCORC Meeting update (Greg Cailliet)

The recent MBCORC (Monterey Bay Crescent Ocean Research Consortium) meeting was held at the new MBEST center. They announced the new brochure and updated website. MBCORC has three main projects: research, education, and policy. There was a discussion about hiring a coordinator / promoter for MBCORC. Bill Douros gave a Sanctuary Joint Management Plan Review update, and there was also a CCEPI workshop update. Other items discussed included the Otter Bowl, Sea LAB, Cal COFI, and a new community television show to promote local research. For more information please see: http://www.mbari.org/~andrea/MBCORC/MBCORC.html