Bi-National Review: Gulf of Maine

1. Bi-National Review: Gulf of Maine Monitoring & indicators to address management issues NWQMC – July 26, 2005

2. Watersheds to the EEZ

3. Governors, Premiers & Federal Governments

4. Key points • How this region is self-organizing around monitoring & indicators development • What we are doing? • How are we proceeding? • Who is involved? • What are the lessons-learned?

5. Context for action • Clean Water Action Plan (2000) & Coastal Monitoring and Research Plan • Coastal States Organization comments (2002) • establish a national monitoring center • integrate federal monitoring programs • support regional monitoring • create indicators of ecosystem health • US Ocean Commission (2004) • create national monitoring network (e.g., backbone) with links to ocean observing, clear goals, meet regional information needs Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

6. Background: rationale for integration in the region • Monitoring occurring in silos • Increasingly complex management issues require more comprehensive analysis • Incompatible data management & exchange is impeding better decision-making

7. Principles for integration • Coastal management and policy needs are drivers; • Effective interagency (e.g., local, state, regional and federal) cooperation; • Existing monitoring and research programs provide the foundation for the effort; • It’s sustained over the years, is interoperable (e.g., producing comparable data through standard procedures) and accessible to public and private sectors, and is cost-efficient; and • It’s phased in, evolves and innovates without losing the value of historical data sets.

8. Conceptual View Monitoring Management Value-added Network Research Observing Notes: Coastal ocean observing – This is the routine collection of physical, chemical, biological, and oceanographic data that can be synthesized into information. (It is distinguished from monitoring that often focuses on responding to a specific issue such as the effect of ocean discharges.)

9. Possible benefits • Regional assessments • Methods standardization & intercalibration • New tools • Information management • Interaction • Public awareness & commitment

10. Functions of Network Scale Tidal and subtidal Near-shore & inshore Coastal Watersheds and Blue Water/Ocean Scope/Reach State & federal marine monitoring programs Government and volunteer Government, volunteer and academic programs All monitoring data Program design & implementation Evaluate based on established protocols Apply standardized protocols selectively Amend programs to meet regional needs Standardized protocols and regional needs Data management Rely on current mechanisms Web links to databases with spatial references & metadata Distributed & linked (e.g., archival and retrieval) Data synthesis and communication Existing level of program activity Embayment assessments by selected issue Integrated multi-factor regional assessments Biogeographical trends and assessment w/active marketing/dissem Links to research Spontaneous - no formal connection Identifies priorities linked to monitoring Active proponent for regional research Supports and conducts research (e.g., cause & effect) Services provided @ fee/consulting Local scale assessments Gulfwide assessments Integrated multivariate assessments Development of plans, strategies, BMPs, etc.

11. Costs, possible activities & products of a Gulf of Maine network • Activities/methods • Regional methods standardization • Shared training • Common quality assurance protocols

12. Possible products • Products requiring no “significant” new funding • Website with click-able map showing geographic coverage, data collected, URL, library catalogue, etc. • Networking of program staff via seminars, workshops, e-mail, etc. • Description of metadata and on-line access

13. Products (continued) • Products requiring new funding • Integrated and synthesized data into information • Ability to compare data sets addressing different issues (land use changes and water quality) and draw conclusions • Enhanced predictive tools/modeling with more robust data inputs • Searchable databases & data histories • State of the environment reporting

14. Costs and Impediments • Costs • Independence & freedom to act autonomously • Expenses of change • Impediments • Inertia • Funding • Institutional • Technical

15. Ingredients to catalyze a network • Program managers need to be involved in the formation of the network and affirm it will help them meet their program’s mission/objectives and enhance their efforts. • Seed funding is needed to challenge monitoring programs to expend their own resources toward creation of the network.

16. A Sampling of Regional Activities • Gulf of Maine EcoSystem Indicator Partnership • Gulfwatch • Nutrient Monitoring Pilot Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

17. EcoSystem Indicators Partnership • October 2004 Gulf of Maine Summit – six proposed sets of 5-10 indicators (Tier one – coastal development, contaminants and fisheries, Tier two – nutrients, aquatic habitats and climate change) • ESIP formed, co-chaired by federal agencies and staffed by Gulf of Maine Council • Commenced development of management strategy & listening sessions Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

18. Gulfwatch • 1989 desire to coordinate & expand monitoring • Formation of Gulfwatch to prove to ourselves • 12-years of contaminant data (fact sheet) • Peer review • Stepping stone to integrated effort Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

19. Nutrient Monitoring – Gulf pilot • National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment update with Gulf of Maine as pilot collecting data & basing new assessment • 20+ nutrient data sets collected & assessed • Proposal pending to organize, repair and prepare to flow data electronically Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

20. Closing • Significant interest to improve management responses via indicators, monitoring & observing • Partnerships are central • Boot-strapping is expected • Reinventing is costly and time consuming Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment