Research Technical Report

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary: A Historic Perspective. "If You Build It, They Will Come" (Field of Dreams)

Rote, J.W. (1993)

Sanctuary Reflections 1993, Monterey Bay Research Symposium, 10 September 1993, Monterey, California. 14pp.

INTRODUCTION (partial)

When I addressed the first Monterey Bay Symposium in November of 1986, I had no idea how far we would come in just seven years! Seven years may seem like a long time to some of you, but in government circles that is warp speed (Mach 3). Seven years is within a two-term President's tenure in the White House. Seven years is within the period of two national censuses, and the reapportionment of political districts. Even in scientific terms, seven years could go by between two major El Niño events, or could be the duration of a single drought in California.

Seven years ago I implored this group to start organizing and coordinating with each other. I suggested that the regulators and decision makers should start communicating. I said that those of us in government were like "ships passing in the night" and that "us bureaucrats" had better start signaling to each other.