August 2008
The eighteen month process for the state to implement the Massachusetts Oceans Act is underway at its first meeting on Wednesday, August 13th at the Boston Fish Pier, 212 Northern Avenue, South Boston, MA 02210 from 9:00 AM to noon. There will be opportunities for the public to weigh in on the development of the ocean management plan throughout the planning process over the next year and a half. Those dates, times, and locations will be published on this website once they are announced.
With the passage of the Massachusetts Oceans Act last May, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to legislate a plan for the various uses of coastal waters off of the state's shore while also addressing the need to protect marine ecosystems. The Massachusetts Ocean Coalition has been at the forefront of working with state legislators and educating the public on the importance of implementing a policy based on sound scientific data.
Key Elements of an Ocean Plan
The Coalition believes that a viable Ocean Plan must:
Ocean Plan Process - The law calls for the appointment of a 17-member Ocean Advisory Commission to assist in developing an integrated ocean management plan in conjunction with a 9-member Ocean Science Advisory Council. The Ocean Advisory Commission is charged with making recommendations for the proper management and development of the plan to Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA) Secretary Ian Bowles and his designee, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Coastal Zone Management Deerin Babb-Brott. The Science Advisory Council will assist EOEEA Secretary Bowles in creating a baseline scientific assessment and obtaining any other scientific information necessary for the development of an ocean management plan.
Prior to the passage of the Ocean Act, an Ocean Management Task Force was convened to create recommendations on how to manage and use the state's ocean resources. The final report, Waves of Change, proposed a number of recommendations, including the need for the state to develop an ocean management plan. This report provides a good outline of many of the themes that the Advisory Commission will likely review in developing the ocean policy.
The process to complete the Massachusetts ocean plan will be relatively quick. The law requires that the Secretary of EOEEA promulgate a final ocean management plan by December 31, 2009. The law also requires the Secretary to provide for public access to the draft management plan starting in June 2009 by holding four public hearings. It is important that an informed environmental community weigh in at each step of the process. The development of this policy is critical because it will outline how Bay State waters will be protected and utilized for decades to come. Balancing conservation and reasonable use of our ocean resources is critical to maintaining the health of those resources well into the future.
In the coming weeks, this website will list public hearing dates, schedules, and documents on the development of the Massachusetts ocean management plan. Stay tuned - your participation can make the difference in restoring and protecting our ocean legacy and its fragile ecosystem.
Thank you for your support!
© 2008 Massachusetts Ocean Action Coalition
Conservation Law Foundation | Mass Audubon