Coastal News and January 2012 Announcements (v 1.3)

Scroll down to see all the announcements or click directly on items of interest.

- GCRC Report: Offshore Wind Energy - Considerations for Georgia

This white paper, written by the GCRC in response to a request from the GA Dept. of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division, provides background about offshore wind energy, with a specific focus on its potential development in Georgia coastal waters. It includes an introduction to the use of offshore wind as a renewable energy source, an overview of the components of a wind installation, a discussion of factors that are considered in siting a wind facility, the environmental considerations associated with such a project, and planning tools and ongoing offshore wind energy initiatives. The full document is available here (http://www.gcrc.uga.edu/PDFs/GCRC_GA_OffshoreWind.pdf), or you may view the executive summary.

- Funding Opportunity: Aquaculture Research Program 2012 (NOAA Sea Grant)

Depending on the availability of funds, NOAA expects to have approximately $3,200,000 available for a national competition to fund marine aquaculture research projects for FY 2012. Priorities for this FY 2012 competition include: Research to inform specific regulatory decisions; Research that supports multi-use spatial planning; and Socio-economic research targeted to understand aquaculture in a larger context. Proposals must be able to express how the proposed work will have a high probability of significantly advancing U.S. marine aquaculture development in the short-term (1-2 years) or medium-term (3-5 years). For more information including a synopsis, the full announcement, and the application, go to Grants.gov and perform a basic search using Funding Opportunity Number NOAA-OAR-SG-2012-2003249 or CDMA Number 11.417.  This is a two-stage competition, with preproposals and full proposals.  Each has specific guidance and deadlines, stated in the announcement.  As stated in the announcement, applicants must submit a preproposal in order to be eligible to submit a full proposals.  Please pay careful attention to the instructions and contact your state Sea Grant Program as soon as possible to discuss proposals. Deadline for receipt of preproposals via electronic mail at the National Sea Grant Office is 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 7, 2012.

- Funding Opportunity: Policy Analysis - Shellfish Conservation & Shoreline Protection (TNC)

The Nature Conservancy has released the attached Request for Proposals to support an “Analysis of rules, policies, and regulations related to shellfish conservation and shoreline protection in the southeast.”  The analysis will include the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and is designed to support our ongoing conservation strategies related to oyster reef restoration and living shoreline implementation. The deadline for proposal submissions is February 13, 2012.  Please contact Mary Conley (mconley@tnc.org) if you have any questions or need additional information.

- Fellowship: Gilbert F. White Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (Resources for the Future)

Resources for the Future (RFF) will award resident fellowship to researchers who have a doctoral degree and wish to devote a year to scholarly work in areas related to natural resources, energy, or the environment. Social scientists as well as natural scientists interested in policy-relevant interdisciplinary research are encouraged to apply. Fellows are normally in residence at RFF for 11 months. Deadline: February 24, 2012. For more information, visit the RFF website.

- Action Item: National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan - Public Comments

On January 12th, the National Ocean Council (NOC) released a draft National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan. The plan, which is available for public comment through February 27th, outlines key milestones, identifies responsible Federal agencies, and indicates the expected timeframe for completion of Implementation Plan actions including: streamlining ocean and coastal permitting processes, beginning with aquaculture; improving water quality; providing climate-change forecasts and vulnerability assessments for coastal communities; and improving environmental response management in the Arctic. The actions reflect feedback provided to the NOC through two public comment periods and 12 regional listening sessions. To read the draft Implementation Plan, see the full range of proposed actions, and submit comments, visit: www.whitehouse.gov/oceans. Comments received will be posted on the NOC website, and the NOC will review and incorporate comments before finalizing the Plan in 2012.

- Fellowship: Climate and Global Change 2012 Postdoctoral Fellowships (NOAA & UCAR)

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is funding ten postdoctoral fellowships through the NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The program supports research on climate variations with time scales of seasons to centuries. Preference is given to applicants who have held a PhD for no more than three years. The application deadline is January 18, 2012. For more information, go to: http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/cgc/2012/2012_Program.html.

- Funding Opportunity: Ocean Acidification (NOAA)

NOAA/NOS/NCCOS/CSCOR is accepting proposals which address the potential ecosystem impacts of ocean acidification to fishery ecosystems of US waters. Research should focus on the development of ecological models (linked to biogeochemical models if possible) which can be used to predict population and/or ecosystem level effects (including potentially, socioeconomic impacts) of increasing ocean acidification on a) important US commercial and recreational fishery species and/or b) key organisms in the ecosystems on which these fishery species rely (e.g., zooplankton, forage fish). Deadline: January 30, 2012. The synopsis of the program RFP is available here.

- Webinar Series: OneNOAA and the NOAA Coastal Services Center's Digital Coast Series

The OneNOAA Science seminar series are designed to help share science and management information and to promote constructive dialogue between scientists, educators, and resource managers. The list prepared by NOAA includes the Digital Coast Webinar Series (hosted by the Coastal Services Center), a monthly webinar that focuses on coastal management topics. Upcoming webinars:

How Can we Deal with Data Gaps for Integrated Ecosystem Assessments?
January 25, 2012 (Wed), 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (Eastern). Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor (New Jersey) has been listed as 'highly eutrophic' according to the National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment (NEEA). One challenge for assessing status of eutrophication in Barnegat Bay, as in many estuaries nationally and globally, is data availability. Non-continuous monitoring and temporal/spatial mismatches in data collection make it difficult to assess or weight different datasets. The current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment being conducted for Barnegat Bay includes a suite of 20 metrics that are organized into six components: 1) Ecosystem Pressures, 2) Water Quality, 3) Light Availability, 4) Seagrass Response, 5) Harmful Algal Blooms, and 6) Benthic Invertebrate Response. Here, we provide a potential solution to the issue of data gaps and a method to weight each dataset in a quantifiable, objective way to avoid bias and 'double counting'. We discuss this method in the context of other methods used both nationally and globally, with some emphasis on shallow coastal lagoons that differ in characterization from drowned river valleys.

Coastal County Snapshots: An Issue-Specific Data Communication Tool
February 1, 2012 (Wed), 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Eastern). Snapshots are currently available for most coastal counties in the contiguous United States and Hawaii, employing data from a variety of sources such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Census Bureau, Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP), and Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW). This session will introduce users to the Coastal County Snapshots product line, the data and information contained in these products, and other related Center products. - Digital Coast Webinar Series

- Upcoming Conference: Social Coast Forum 2012 (NOAA CSC)

Social Science for Coastal Decision-Making. Understanding people - where they live, what they do, what they value - is an important part of successful coastal management initiatives. Participate in the first Social Coast Forum to see and share how social science tools and methods are being used to address the nation’s coastal issues. The NOAA Coastal Services Center is hosting the forum February 15 to 16, 2012 in Charleston, South Carolina. http://www.csc.noaa.gov/socialcoastforum/index.html   

- Call for Proposals: Restore America's Estuaries National Conference

Proposals for the 6th National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration – which will be held October 20-24, 2012, in Tampa, Florida – are now being accepted. The Conference theme is "Restoring Ecosystems, Strengthening Communities." All proposals relevant to coastal habitat restoration are highly encouraged, but there is particular interest in proposals for sessions, presentations, and posters dealing with the interface of the environment and the economy. For more information, including a full list of Conference topics and details on submitting a proposal, visit: http://program.estuaries.org/. The deadline to submit a proposal is February 1, 2012.

- Call for Abstracts, Workshops & Session Topics: Coastal Cities Summit

Registration and abstract submission is now open for the Coastal Cities Summit, which will be held April 30 to May 3, 2012, at the Bayfront Hilton Hotel in St. Petersburg, FL. Workshops, Plenary and Keynote speeches, and individual presentations are solicited in the following thematic areas: budgeting for smart development under a changing climate; coastal and port security; coastal energy alternatives; and urbanization, population growth and vulnerable communities. Submissions should be no more than 250 words for individuals or 800 words for panels and workshops.  Include contact information (name, affiliation, address, phone, and email) for individual participants. Include experience he/she brings to that session. The deadline for submitting abstracts has passed, but early registration continues through March 31st. For more information about the summit, visit: www.coastalcities-ioi.org. Contact Mara Hendrix at mara@usf.edu with further questions.

- Upcoming Conference: 23rd International Conference of The Coastal Society

The Coastal Society invites abstract submissions for presentations, panels and posters for its 23rd International Conference, “Our Coasts, Our Heritage: Ecosystem Services for the Common Good.”  Preference will be given to presentations, panels and posters that complement the conference’s theme of the importance of ecosystem needs and services in comprehensive ocean and coastal management and fit within one of the five conference tracks. Presentations and posters should provide case studies or offer innovative solutions in order to spark interactive discussion among conference attendees. Abstracts were due November 4th. Further guidance is available on the abstract submission page. June 3 to 6, 2012 in Miami, Florida.

-Resource: Marine Science Review (by SeaWeb)

SeaWeb's Marine Science Review compiles citations and abstracts of marine science research. Their newsletters are organized by topic. Recently posted reviews include:

• Habitats and Ecosystems. Posted on December 6, 2011. Topics categories include: Reviews, Marshes, Mangroves, Oyster Reefs, Beaches and Dunes, Barrier Islands, Deep Sea, Blue Carbon, and Ecological Engineering. Posted January 10, 2012.
  http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/msr_Habitats_and_Ecosystems_Jan_2012.php
• Climate and Climate Change: Sea Level Rise. Posted on December 15, 2011. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/MSR_ClimateChange_Sea_Level_Rise_Dec_2011.php
• Aquaculture and Hatcheries. Posted on December 8, 2011. Topic categories include: Reviews; Aquaculture - Trends and Developments; Aquaculture - Human Health and Social Impacts; Aquaculture - Environmental Impacts; Aquaculture Feeds - Issues and Developments; Disease - Threats, Management and Control, Aquaculture and Sea Lice; Hatcheries and Hatchery Impacts.
  http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/msr_Aquaculture_and_Hatcheries_11-2011.php
• Contaminants and Pollution: Ocean Acidification. Posted on December 1, 2011. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/msr_current.php.
• Human Health and Security - Part B. Posted November 24, 2011. Topic categories include: Food Security; Climate Change; Human Security and Livelihood; Gulf Oil Spill and Human Health; and Marine Natural Products. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/msr_current.php.
• Human Health and Security - Part A. Posted November 22, 2011. Topic categories include: Reviews; Contaminants and Human Health; Contaminants in Seafood; Marine Biotoxins; Pathogens and Disease; Beach and Beachwater Safety and Monitoring; and Risk Assessment and Communication. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/msr_HHS_PartA_11-2011.php#one.
• Disease and Pathogens - Part B. Posted November 17, 2011. Topic categories include: Fish, Molluscs, Marine Mammals, Introduced Species and Disease, Aquaculture and Sea Lice, Pollutants and Disease, and Climate Change and Disease. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/MSR_Pathogens_and_Disease_PartB-11-2011.php#one.
• Disease and Pathogens - Part A. Posted November 15, 2011. Topic categories include: General Overviews, Coral, Avifauna, Crustaceans, Sponges, Algae, and Seagrasses. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/MSR_Pathogens_and_Disease_PartA-11-2011.php#one.
• Contaminants and Pollution: Oil and Oil Spills. Posted November 10, 2011. Topic categories include: Deepwater Horizon, Oil Spills: Threats and Impacts, Oil and Marine Species, and Dispersants: Toxicology and Risk Assessment. http://www.seaweb.org/science/MSRnewsletters/MSR_CandP_OilandOilSpills_11-2011.php#one.

To read past issues of Marine Science Review, visit their archives.

- Training: Marine GIS (Mappamondo)

Mappamondo GIS is offering an online course intended to give an in depth overview of the application of GIS mapping and analyses to marine environments. The course will cover such subjects as marine GIS datasets and methods of data collection in the marine environment (LiDAR, Multibeam, ROV, satellite data), calculation of benthic complexity parameters, habitat suitability modeling, marine protected areas systematic design, GIS methods for fisheries dynamics studies, mathematical interpolation of point data, GIS for tracking marine fauna and the ArcGIS Marine Data Model. Course duration is 16-40 hours. Each module is completed by a hands-on tutorial in ArcGIS. To download a detailed description of the program go to: http://www.mappamondogis.it/pdf/MarineGIS_en.pdf.

- Resource: GIS for the Oceans (free book download)

This book is a collection of GIS case studies in marine science introduced by Dawn Wright (Professor of Geography and Oceanography at Oregon State University and a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science). The book showcases how GIS can assist meeting the challenges facing marine science. Download the book at: http://www.esri.com/library/ebooks/oceans.pdf.

- Application: Fishery Analyst Online

Fishery Analyst Online version 3.0 is an ArcGIS application developed to effectively analyze and visualize temporal and spatial patterns of fishery dynamics. The main functions are quantitative estimation and visualization of catch and effort and their variation in space and time, analysis of fishing vessel utilization, data quality control, and deriving information on the location of important economic and threatened species. Download a free trial with user manual, tutorial and demo dataset here: http://www.mappamondogis.it/fisheryanalystonline.htm.

- New Tool: Vertical Datum Transformation (NOAA)

NOAA has released the first edition of a free vertical datum transformation (VDatum) tool that allows users to produce a set of consistent geospatial data over coastal and interior areas of the contiguous United States, removing the differences between the vertical reference systems of land- and water-based data. For more information go to: http://vdatum.noaa.gov.

- Resource: The EBM Tools Network Launches New Coastal-Marine Tools Database

The Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) Tools Network has launched a new online coastal-marine tools database - www.ebmtoolsdatabase.org. The database is free to use and can help you find tools for your coastal and marine management and conservation projects. In addition, you can find projects, resources, organizations, and practitioners related to tools and can contribute your own information and expertise. For more information about the database or the EBM Tools Network, contact Sarah Carr, EBM Tools Network Coordinator, at sarah_carr@natureserve.org.

- Document of Interest: NOAA Releases Coastal Sea-Level Change Needs Assessment Report

The “Coastal Sea-Level Change Societal Challenge Needs Assessment Report” focuses on the needs of the coastal managers, planners and decision-makers who are facing existing or emerging climate issues related to coastal sea-level change. The report is intended to provide NOAA with current information on the needs of coastal decision makers in order to guide its development of trainings, engagement efforts, decision-support tools, and applications. To view the report, go to: http://www.floods.org/ace-files/documentlibrary/committees/Coastal/NOAA_Coastal_Sea_Level_Change_Societal_Challenge_Needs_Assessment_Report.pdf

- Document of Interest: America's Ocean Future (JOCI)

On June 7th, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative Leadership Council (JOCI) released a new report calling on leaders to support effective implementation of the National Ocean Policy. The report, “America’s Ocean Future: Ensuring Healthy Oceans to Support a Vibrant Economy,” highlights three fundamental components JOCI believes are essential for the National Ocean Policy to achieve its potential to improve ocean governance: robust federal coordination; improved collection and delivery of science and data to support decision making; and immediate investments that increase government efficiency and effectiveness and strengthen critical information collection and delivery. The report is available on the JOCI website at: www.jointoceancommission.org.

- Document of Interest: NOAA Next Generation Strategic Plan

The NOAA Next Generation Strategic Plan (NGSP) is now available. The Plan conveys NOAA’s mission and vision of the future, the national and global issues NOAA must address, the specific outcomes NOAA aims to help society realize, and the actions that the Agency must undertake.  NOAA’s Long-term Goals (summarized in the Exec Summary):

• Climate Adaptation and Mitigation - An informed society anticipating and responding to climate and its impacts
• Weather-Ready Nation - Society is prepared for and responds to weather-related events
• Healthy Oceans - Marine fisheries, habitats, and biodiversity are sustained within healthy and productive ecosystems
• Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies - Coastal and Great Lakes communities are environmentally and economically sustainable  

To read the Summary, or the review the full document, please visit: http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/ngsp.html

- Document of Interest: Climate Ready Estuaries Annual Progress Report (EPA)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released “Climate Ready Estuaries: 2010 Progress Report,” which describes partner accomplishments related to vulnerability assessments, stakeholder engagement, climate change indicators and monitoring, and adaptation planning. The full report is available at: http://www.epa.gov/climatereadyestuaries/downloads/2010-CRE-Progress-Report.pdf.

- Documents of Interest: Working Waterways & Waterfronts Symposium

Last September, the 2010 Working Waterways and Waterfronts National Symposium was held in Portland, Maine. Participants came together to discuss the economic, social, cultural, and environmental values of waterfronts and the important role of water-dependent uses in sustainable coastal communities. PDFs of the presentations as well as the recently published "Sense of the Symposium" are now available online at: http://www.wateraccessus.com. The “Sense of the Symposium” document summarizes key themes that emerged during the three days of discussion, presentations, field trips, and interaction at the symposium.

-Document of Interest: Adapting to Climate Change (NOAA - OCRM)

NOAA’s Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management has developed “Adapting to Climate Change: A Planning Guide for State Coastal Managers” to help U.S. state and territorial (states) coastal managers develop and implement adaptation plans to reduce the risks associated with climate change impacts affecting their coasts. The guide was written in response to a request from state coastal managers for guidance from NOAA on adaptation planning in the coastal zone and is intended as an aid, not as a prescriptive directive, and a state may choose to use individual steps or chapters or the entire guide, depending on where they are in their planning process.

-Workshop Materials Available: Planning for Climate Change (NERRS)

Materials are now available for Planning for Climate Change, a workshop that was developed as a national project for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). The workshop is geared primarily toward shoreline planners and developed so that Coastal Training Programs (and other agencies) around the country can customize the workshop and use it as part of their educational efforts regarding climate change. It was piloted twice (in Washington State) and, while it lays a foundation in current climate research, it primarily addresses the fundamentals of how to prepare and adapt to the anticipated impacts of climate change. Workshop materials, evaluation results, lessons learned, PowerPoint presentations, and streaming video of the training sessions are all posted on the NERRS website: http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Training/padillabay/project.html.

-Policy Paper: Adapting to Climate Change (The Pew Center)

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change has released a policy paper, Adapting to Climate Change: A Call for Federal Leadership. The full document is available here (PDF).

-New Tool: Marine Mapping Applications 

An updated version of the Multipurpose Marine Cadastre is now available.  Organizations use this online marine information system planning tool to screen coastal and marine spaces for new uses (including renewable energy projects and other offshore activities).  Users can pinpoint a location on a map and quickly access the associated legal, physical, ecological, and cultural information.  The new version uses Web map services, an improvement on the static data files of the past.  The updated version also contains additional marine habitat and seafloor data and improved analysis and rendering tools.  The Multipurpose Marine Cadastre is a multi-agency effort led by NOAA and the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service.  For more information, visit www.csc.noaa.gov/mmc.  Contact: Adam Bode, Adam.Bode@noaa.gov, (843) 740-1265.

-Resource: Coastal & Estuarine Science News (Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation)

CESN provides summaries of selected articles from the Coastal & Estuarine Research Federation's journal, Estuaries and Coasts: An International Journal of Coastal Science. The summary articles emphasize management applications of the scientific findings.  These are some recent CESN summary topics:

• Plastic Litters Developed and Undeveloped Beaches in NE Brazil
• Nutrient Management and Shellfish Restoration Should Go Together, Study Shows
• Wetland Site Types Vary in Their Ability to Keep Their Heads above Water as Sea Level Rises
• Modeling Forecasts Outcomes of Freshwater Flow Restoration in the Everglades: Management Goals Can be Achieved

To subscribe by email, or read prior articles, please visit, http://www.erf.org/cesn-list.

-Resource: Gulf of Mexico News (NOAA Ocean Service)

There are many Gulf-specific items here, but this comprehensive, monthly resource (from NOAA Ocean Service, Office of Ocean & Coastal Resource Management) also has lots to offer GCRC website visitors: funding information, scientific entries, government updates, etc. http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/news/gomexnews.html.

- Document of Interest: Mapping Human Uses of the Ocean (MPA Center)

The National Marine Protected Areas Center has published a best practices manual on mapping human uses of the ocean using participatory GIS techniques. The report, “Mapping Human Uses of the Ocean: Informing Marine Spatial Planning Through Participatory GIS,” summarizes the Center’s mapping approach, provides detailed lessons learned from various participatory mapping projects throughout California, the Northeast, and Hawaii, and provides insight to the successful planning and implementation of mapping efforts to capture spatial data on human uses of the ocean in different regions and at varying scales.

- Project of Interest: South Atlantic Regional Research Planning

The National Sea Grant Program launched a program to create research plans for U.S. coastal and Great Lakes areas. Sea Grant Programs from the South Atlantic region of the coastal USA (NC, SC, GA, FL) worked together to identify priority regional-level research needs and then develop an action plan to address these needs. The project involves coordination with NOAA laboratories, state and federal agencies, and academic partners, as well as participation from politicians, representatives from industry, and other stakeholders from throughout the region. The GCRC managed this project in association with Georgia Sea Grant. Please visit the SARRP website.

In the News

NOAA Establishes Research Area at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary

Under a new regulation that went into effect December 4th, 2011, the southern third of NOAA's 22-square-mile Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is now a research area where scientists will be able to study the impact of human activities on the sanctuary's marine resources. Fishing and diving is prohibited in the research area off the Georgia coast, but vessels are allowed to travel across the area as long as they don't stop. Roughly eight-square-miles and relatively free of human activity, the research area will allow scientists to design and implement habitat studies where critical variables can be controlled over long periods of time. http://graysreef.noaa.gov/management/research/research_area.html

Right Whales Return to Georgia Coasts

December 5, 2011 - The right whale, one of the world’s rarest marine mammals, is returning to Georgia’s coast. A North Atlantic right whale was seen off South Carolina on Nov. 22, the first of a watery winter migration. Biologists from Sea to Shore Alliance spotted the 29-year-old female right whale during an aerial survey offshore of South Carolina. The whale, known as “Half-Note” and identified by the unique white pattern on her head, has had four calves and could be pregnant with her fifth. Right whales swim from Canada and New England each year to bear their young along the coast of Georgia, South Carolina and northeastern Florida. Calving season is crucial for this endangered species, which numbers possibly as few as 400 animals. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section, Law Enforcement Section and Coastal Resources Division help federal and other agencies monitor the population, respond to injured, entangled and dead whales, collect genetic samples for research, and protect habitat.

For more information about right whales and how you can help, visit the Department of Natural Resources.

Source: United States. Department of Natural Resources. “As Right Whales Return, Researchers Keep Watch”, Georgia. georgia.gov Interactive Office, November 29, 2011. Web Press Release.

Restore America's Estuaries Releases Coastal Jobs Report

On September 14th, Restore America’s Estuaries released “Jobs & Dollars: Big Returns from Coastal Habitat Restoration.” The report draws on national and regional studies of coastal and estuarine restoration projects to make the case for government and private investment in the nation's coasts and estuaries. Among the key findings: coastal habitat restoration typically creates between 20 and 32 jobs for every $1 million invested; and restoration not only creates direct jobs, but also helps stimulate indirect jobs in industries that supply project materials and induced jobs in businesses that provide local goods and services to restoration workers. The full report and summary of findings are available here. To learn more about the economics of estuaries, visit:  http://www.estuaries.org/economics-of-estuaries.html.

NOAA Fisheries and USFWS Revise Loggerhead Sea Turtle Listing

On September 22nd, NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) issued a final rule revising the listing of the loggerhead sea turtle under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Services have changed the listing from a single, globally threatened listing for all loggerheads to nine Distinct Population Segments of loggerhead sea turtles listed as threatened or endangered under the ESA, which the Services believe will help focus sea turtle conservation efforts in the United States and around the world. The final rule (Federal Register Vol. 76, No. 184, page 58868) is available here.

NOAA Releases "State of the Climate Report"

On June 28th, NOAA released its annual "State of the Climate Report," describing trends in more than 40 climate variables. In addition to concluding that the 2010 global average surface temperature was among the two warmest on record, the peer-reviewed report also found that: Arctic sea ice shrank to its 3rd smallest area on record (for the first time in modern history, both the Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route were open for navigation in the month of September); the average sea surface temperature for 2010 was the 3rd warmest on record; the ocean heat content in 2010 was among the highest values in the record; sea level continued to rise across the world’s oceans on average; and the oceans were saltier than average in areas of high evaporation and fresher than average in areas of high precipitation, suggesting an intensification of the water cycle. The full report and a highlights document are available online: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/bams-state-of-the-climate/2010.php.

Policy Update: New Aquaculture Policies (Dept of Commerce and NOAA)

On June 9th, the Department of Commerce and NOAA released new national sustainable marine aquaculture policies. The new policies focus on: fostering sustainable aquaculture that increases the value of domestic aquaculture production; advancing sustainable aquaculture science; ensuring aquaculture decisions protect wild species and healthy coastal and ocean ecosystems; developing sustainable aquaculture compatible with other uses; and working to remove foreign trade barriers and enforcing U.S. trade agreements. Along with its new policy, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced additional steps to support the development of the aquaculture industry, including: a National Shellfish Initiative in partnership with the shellfish industry to increase commercial production of shellfish; and a Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Plan for Aquaculture, which would include the regulatory infrastructure needed for offshore aquaculture development in the Gulf. For more information, including links to the new policies, visit: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110609_aquaculture.html.

NOAA: El Niño Could Bring Increased Sea Levels, Storm Surges to East Coast

According to a new study by NOAA, coastal communities along the U.S. East Coast may be at risk of higher sea levels accompanied by more destructive storm surges in future El Niño years. The study examined water levels and storm surge events during the “cool season” of October to April for the past five decades at four sites along the East Coast: Boston, MA; Atlantic City, NJ; Norfolk, VA; and Charleston, SC.  From 1961 to 2010, it was found that in strong El Niño years, these coastal areas experienced nearly three times the average number of storm surge events. The research also found that waters in those areas saw a third-of-a-foot elevation in mean sea level above predicted conditions. The study was published in the American Meteorological Society’s Monthly Weather Review and can be found online here. The full NOAA press release is available at: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20110715_elnino.html.

Offshore Energy Memorandum of Understanding

May 23, 2011- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to increase coordination and collaboration on offshore energy development and environmental stewardship. This MOU, which is consistent with recommendations from the National Commission on the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling, specifies how BOEMRE and NOAA will cooperate and coordinate by:

1. Defining specific processes to ensure effective and timely communication of agency priorities and upcoming activities;
2. Identifying and undertaking critical environmental studies and analyses;
3. Collaborating on scientific, environmental and technical issues related to the development and deployment of environmentally sound and sustainable offshore renewable energy technologies; and
4. Increasing coordination and collaboration on decisions related to OCS activities, including with respect to research and scientific priorities.

New Reports from the National Research Council

• Critical Infrastructure for Ocean Research and Societal Needs in 2030

  The report identifies ocean science questions anticipated to be significant in 2030; defines categories of infrastructure needed to support ocean science research over the next two decades; identifies criteria to help prioritize the development of new ocean infrastructure or the replacement of existing facilities; and recommends ways to maximize the value of investments in ocean infrastructure. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13081.

• America's Climate Choices

  is part of a series of climate change studies requested by Congress. Recommendations include calling on the federal government to lead on efforts to combat climate change with emissions cuts and support adaptation programs. http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12781.

• Ocean Acidification: Starting with the Science (report & booklet)

  Last year, the National Research Council’s Ocean Studies Board produced a congressionally-requested report that reviewed the current state of knowledge and identified gaps in understanding ocean acidification. The report also provided scientific advice to help guide the national ocean acidification research program. Based on the report’s conclusions, the board recently released a booklet that describes the chemistry of ocean acidification and explores the many remaining questions about the impact of ocean acidification on marine life and coastal dependent industries. The full report and new booklet are available online at: http://oceanacidification.nas.edu/.

Coastal States Organization Submits Comments to National Ocean Council

April 28, 2011 - In response to its call for comments for the Strategic Action Plans on the National Ocean Policy’s nine priority objectives, Coastal States Organization (CSO) submitted seven sets of comments this week.  CSO’s comments focused on the seven priority areas of Ecosystem Based Management (Objective 1), Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (Objective 2), Coordinate and Support (Objective 4), Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification (Objective 5), Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration (Objective 6), Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land (Objective 7), and Ocean, Coastal and Great Lakes Observations, Mapping and Infrastructure (Objective 9).  Many thanks to the work group chairs, members and CSO staff that contributed to the effort. The documents are available at www.coastalstates.org. All public comments are available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/comments.

NASA Satellites to Track Biological Impacts of Climate Change

April 22, 2011 - NASA announced 15 new research studies to examine how climate change will affect key species and ecosystems. NASA's Earth Science Division is funding the new research projects to see whether environmental data collected by satellites can be used to improve ecological models that predict the behavior of a species or ecosystem. Projects NASA and its partners are funding include efforts to understand how climate change will affect coastal salt marshes and Atlantic bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico. A complete list of projects is available online at: http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/climate_partners.html.

Regional Science and Research

South Atlantic Alliance Action Plan Finalized

December 2010 - The Action Plan of the four-state Governors' Alliance has been finalized and posted to the South Atlantic Alliance website (http://www.southatlanticalliance.org/documents.htm). The implementation plan is underway. For more information about the Alliance and other opportunities for collaboration in our region, visit the Alliance website (http://www.southatlanticalliance.org/).

Background: The South Atlantic Alliance was formally announced (link to news release) on October 19th, 2009 at a meeting of the Coastal States Organization in Charleston. Representatives from the four partner states (South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida) each had an opportunity for comment, and the federal government was represented by Mr. Michael Boots from the White House Council on Environmental Quality. GCRC staffer and SARRP Coordinator, Christine Laporte was also present: she is a member of the Alliance Executive Planning Team (representing SARRP).

The mission of the Alliance is to "significantly increase regional collaboration among South Atlantic states, with federal agency partners and other stakeholders, to sustain and enhance the environmental (coastal/marine), natural resource, economic, public safety, social, and national defense missions of the respective states and the South Atlantic region."

SARRP Research Plan Released

April 2010 - The South Atlantic Regional Research Priorities Plan 2010 has been posted here. This plan benefited from, and is intended for use by all federal, regional, state and academic partners. The document includes project background and methods along with the Regional Research Priorities identified by our partners in the region. Readers will also find a discussion of how the plan might be moved forward. For more information about SARRP, please visit our partner website.

http://www.gcrc.uga.edu/SARRP/Documents/SARRP_ResearchPlan_2010.pdf
Please contact Christine Laporte at claporte@uga.edu with questions or requests for hard copies.

Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Information

NEW Resource:  Online Clearinghouse for Education & Networking: Oil Interdisciplinary Learning

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) and our partners invite you to use and contribute to the most comprehensive, free, peer-reviewed resource troves about the Deepwater Horizon disaster, the Online Clearinghouse for Education & Networking: Oil Interdisciplinary Learning (OCEAN-OIL):  www.eoearth.org/oceanoil 

Resources now available on OCEAN-OIL include:

• Reports from the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill - all 30 official reports and additional background
• Articles (100+)  hyper-linked, encyclopedia style
• Videos (150+)
• Glossary (400+) related to oil spill causes, impacts, clean-up, and prevention
• Acronyms (75+) to help decode the language of oil spill science
• External links (80+) to  government sites, image galleries, news sources, industry, environmental groups, education, and journal articles
• Photo galleries: Images by renowned photojournalist Gary Braasch and others
• Deepwater Horizon by the Numbers: Publication-quality graphs
• Databases - Statistics, technical diagrams, maps, and other data 

South Atlantic Sea Grant, Oil Summit II - Chemical Considerations

June 29th 2010, the South Atlantic Sea Grant programs convened a second summit concerning the Deepwater Horizon (DH) oil, this time with petrochemical and chemical oceanographic experts from the region.  This panel met at the University of North Florida to discuss the chemistry of the DH material that might reach the East Coast. Discussion at the summit focused on three main areas: I) the properties of the compounds being released from the Gulf of Mexico spill site, II) the processes that will likely affect their form and composition before they reach the southeastern U.S., and III) recommendations for monitoring the presence of DH material in the region.   Workshop report (PDF).

South Atlantic Sea Grant, Oil Summit I - Physical Oceanography

June 9th 2010, at the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah, GA, the four South Atlantic state Sea Grant programs jointly convened a roundtable of recognized physical oceanographic experts from the region to consider, discuss, and answer questions on if, how, and when Gulf of Mexico oil might arrive in regional waters.   Workshop report (PDF).

Video: Arthropod Studies

National Geographic has produced a short video on NSF-sponsored work by Steve Pennings (Univ of Houston professor & GCRC affiliated scientist: GCE-LTER). "Using huge hoses, researchers are vacuuming up marsh bugs along the oiled Gulf coast. By comparing their samples to bugs collected before the spill, teams hope to determine the effects of oil on creatures near the bottom of the food web."

Video: Effect of oil on coastal marshes

Irv Mendelssohn (LSU) and Karen McKee (National Wetlands Research Center) put together an informative video regarding the potential effects of oil on marshes.  (~10 minutes long.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syGM13egoc0

Oil and Dispersant Monitoring Report

December 17, 2010 - The Operational Science Advisory Team report, "Summary Report for Sub-sea and Sub-surface Oil and Dispersant Detection: Sampling and Monitoring" is available online.  It includes analytical chemistry data from 17,000 samples, making it the most comprehensive data set and analysis yet completed since the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill in April. To view the report and associated data, please visit
http://www.restorethegulf.gov/release/2010/12/16/data-analysis-and-findings.

Oil Plume Research Blog

Mandy Joye, UGA Professor of Marine Sciences kept a weblog during her foray to the Gulf of Mexico to explore the plumes of oil drifts in the region affected by the Deep Horizon oil well. To read the blog, visit -- www.gulfblog.uga.edu

State of Louisiana Oil Trajectory Maps

Flow Rate Measurements

Daniela Di Iorio, UGA Professor of Marine Sciences was a member of the team of experts who used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to collect flow rate measurements on May 31, 2010 (after the top-kill attempt had ended and before the riser was cut.)  For more information on this effort, please visit the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution site.

Additional Web Resources about the Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster

 

University of Georgia Oil Spill Website

 

NOAA’s Emergency Response Program

 

Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center

Restore the Gulf

 

- GCRC News Archives are now available...

Seeking coastal research information!

This site relies on its users for much of its content. Please alert us to any material you think we should include on our site. And if you have prepared progress reports for your funding agencies, send us a copy -- we would like to summarize your research for other site visitors. Georgia Coastal Research Council affiliated scientists and managers are also encouraged to check their bibliographic profiles and let us know of anything that needs updating. All feedback (complaints, compliments, broken links) is welcome. Please contact us.