NRPB Focuses on Ecological Management

The 1874 Wentworth Hotel in New Castle, NH, next to Portsmouth. The Northeast Regional Ocean Planning Body held its November 13-14 meeting here. Congress did not fund the NRPB project which seeks to inform a National Ocean Policy. Funding for the Ocean Policy project, which NOAA is overseeing and will implement, is from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation based in San Francisco, CA. http://neoceanplanning.org Fishermen’s Voice photo

Portsmouth, NH – The fourth meeting of the Northeast Regional Planning Body (NRPB) occurred here to discuss potential guidelines for a National Ocean policy. NRPB is expected to have recommendations to submit at the end of 2015.

Past meetings focused on the need to establish ecological baselines for marine resources. At the recent meeting, this idea was furthered by NRPB’s vote to make ecosystem-based management a guiding principal for NRPB’s recommendations. The vote was made after a review of documents, proposing ecosystem-based management, submitted by Valerie Nelson, a water resources policy analyst, and Dr. Les Kaufman, a marine biology researcher.

Nelson agreed with an earlier proposal made by Priscilla Brooks from the Conservation Law Foundation that a “working/expert group be appointed to scope out concepts and implementation steps for achieving the Healthy Ocean and Coastal Ecosystems goal of the Planning Body.” Nelson and Kaufman proposed in individual letters to the NRPB to “establish an interdisciplinary work group to explore options for an adaptive ecosystem-based approach to managing healthy oceans and coastal ecosystems.”

Stakeholders with potentially large projects like wind energy, aquaculture or oil and gas exploration, etc., have not put their plans on the table as they are likely awaiting the outcome of the Ocean Planning process.

Discussion also centered on Sand and Gravel Mining and Aquaculture, two topics described as significant but under-considered by the NRPB. Underwater sand and gravel mining occurs primarily to rebuild beaches damaged by storms, and for making concrete. The Army Corps of Engineers oversees the permitting process for this activity, and for aquaculture.

NRPB discussed growing demand for marine sand and gravel, particularly after Hurricane Sandy’s damage to New Jersey shorefront properties. New England does not have abundant sand and gravel resources to deal with shorefront storm damage, speakers said.

Environmental impacts of excavation were considered, including impacts to fish habitat. Also at issues were the resource and financial costs of excavating a public resource to restore privately owned coastline for the protection of private homes. NRPB member Grover Fugate, Connecticut Resources management Council, said “there is a need to acknowledge the impact sand and gravel mining has on fish habit and the issues involved.”

Northeast Regional Planning Body meeting, Portsmouth, NH, November 14, 2014. Foreground: Seven of about 24 Planning Body members on the panel. Members are gubernatorial appointees from the 5 New England coastal state’s marine resources departments, environmental groups, government agencies, academics and native tribes. Background: attendees interested in the NRPB process. Among attendees are those also from the last four member groups noted above and others. Fishermen’s Voice photo

Aquaculture ranges from small, owner-operated shellfish operations to large finfish grow-out facilities. According to speakers, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has been developing plans for finfish aquaculture on a scale likened to Norway’s, the largest producer of open-pen-raised salmon. Norway is currently developing large offshore salmon pens, speakers said, in order to increase production.

Nelson expressed concerns about the ecological impacts of large-scale offshore finfish operations. Referring to the scale of the industry and its possible impacts on ocean habitat and species, Nelson questioned whether enough is known about the oceans to introduce large-scale projects. Overall, Nelson said, climate change, food supply and human health all point to the need for the NRPB to develop an ecologically sound approach to management.

Other speakers also called for ecologically based management plans. To get there, NRPB is attempting to establish resource baselines, so future environment changes can be measured.

NRPB’s recommendations will inform a national Ocean Policy, but won’t be binding.

NOAA oversees and directs the Northeast Regional Ocean Council and the NRPB. NOAA employees lead the process. Governors of the New England states appoint marine resources department employees and others such as marine biologists, tribal representatives and environmentalists to the NRPB.

The Northeast Regional Planning Body website has information regarding: Goals and Objectives; Public Comment Portal; Data Portal and Events schedules at: http://neoceanplanning.org/