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Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
2007 Annual Report
In February, the Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries Advisory Councils held a joint meeting. At this meeting they passed a joint resolution to request that NOAA Law Enforcement be present in adequate numbers on site to coordinate with the US Coast Guard and other law enforcement so that the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary staff can effectively protect sanctuary resources during the 2007 Maverick’s Surf Contest.
In April, the council passed a resolution in support of H.R. 1187, a bill proposed by Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) to expand the boundaries of Gulf of the Farallones and Cordell Bank national marine sanctuaries.
In July, the council passed a resolution in support of the final adoption of the stronger draft regulations affecting regulation of introduced species promulgated by the draft Joint Management Plan Review in October 2006. They requested this resolution be sent to the California Coastal Commission prior to the August 2007 hearing that took place on this matter. They also authorized a letter to be sent to the National Marine Sanctuary Program Director, Daniel Basta, expressing concern toward the current GFNMS funding level. The council requested clarification on the allocation of funds within the National Marine Sanctuary Program in this letter. The council also authorized a final draft letter to Daniel Basta requesting a line item addition to base in the GFNMS budget in order to fund a full-time Advisory Council Coordinator.
Also in July, the council authorized the formation of the Bolinas Lagoon Restoration Working Group. Bruce Bowser, Conservation Alternate, is the council representative and working group chair. New officer elections were held as well. Richard Charter, Conservation, was elected as Council Chair and Bob Wilson, Conservation, as Council Secretary and MBNMS Liaison. There was a tie at this time for Council Vice-Chair, but at the October re-election Barbara Emley, Maritime Activities/Commercial, was elected as Vice-Chair. An executive committee was established consisting of the council officers, the sanctuary superintendent, and the council coordinator.
During the October Advisory Council Retreat, GFNMS Superintendent, Maria Brown, swore in two new council members: Marc Gorelnik as the Maritime Activities/Recreational Alternate and Jonathan Stern as the Research Alternate. A field trip around Bolinas Lagoon with Bolinas Lagoon Technical Advisory Committee Chair and local geological expert, Ralph Camiccia, was taken to better familiarize the council members with the area.
In December, the council passed a resolution in support of a modification of the boundaries proposed in H.R. 1187 to include all of Bodega Canyon by adding a 296.5 square nautical mile area. The council also wrote a response letter to Daniel Basta concerning their involvement with the Blue Seas, Green Communities Initiative. To participate in the Initiative, the council authorized a ’’greening’’ working group that will be made up of the following members: Bob Wilson, Conservation (working group Chair), Brenda Donald, Community-At-Large/San Francisco and San Mateo, Chris Powell, National Park Service, and Bob Breen, Education. The first task of this group will be to aid in the planning and execution of the 2008 Ocean Climate Summit (which is being organized by GFNMS). The group will then continue to aid in implementing strategies from the Action Plan that will be produced as a result of the Summit. The working group will also actively be involved with the greening of the GFNMS campus as outlined in the GFNMS Facilities Master Plan.
Also in December, the council authorized the formation of the Tomales Bay Vessel Management Working Group. Dominique Richard, Community-At-Large/Marin and Sonoma, will be the council representative and working group chair. In addition, the council approved their 2008 work plan, which includes council and, in some instances, working group involvement in the following areas: Seabird Colony Protection Program; GFNMS Condition Report; Bolinas Lagoon Restoration Project; Tomales Bay Vessel Management Plan; Marine Life Protection Act; Emergency Response; Maverick's Surf Contest; Blue Seas Green Communities Initiative; and the Ocean Climate Summit.
Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council
2006 Annual Report
The council passed a resolution to fully support the Gulf of the Farallones NMS Facilities Master Plan, which was developed from management plan review information, staff workshops, and public scoping meeting information. A resolution was also passed in support of ’’Option A’’ from Dan Basta for the National Advisory Council providing it represents a wide spectrum of disciplines, stakeholders and interests, and a full extent of geographic areas containing marine sanctuaries. ’’Option A’’ was to establish a National Advisory Council made up of one standing group with permanent membership covering diversity of functions and interests, and meeting at least twice a year.
The council passed a resolution to support the continuation of a streamlined sanctuary advisory council process through more efficient use of existing funding and resources, increased use of volunteer and intern support, and greater volunteer involvement on the part of sanctuary advisory council members.
In July, the council authored a letter to Dan Basta seeking additional funds and a line item for a permanent council coordinator as soon as possible. The council also proposed to put a discussion of the Maverick’s Surf Contest on the next joint meeting agenda with MBNMS. The Seabird Colony Protection Program’s outreach and education and enforcement and coordinated management working groups members were chosen.
During the council’s October retreat they agreed to continue the Seabird Colony Protection Program’s outreach and education and enforcement and coordinated management working groups, and the ad hoc Esteros, ad hoc San Francisco Exemption Area working groups. The Tomales Bay Water Quality and Seabird Colony Protection Program’s technical advisory committees will also continue, and the vessel spills working group will be developed. The ad hoc fishing working group will now become the ad hoc California Marine Life Protection Act working group.
A council resolution was passed to include fishing activities in both GFNMS and West Coast Regional outreach publications, and a letter was reviewed that will be forwarded to Dan Basta regarding NOAA’s decision to reject an expansion proposal for GFNMS and CBNMS that would have been attached to the Magnuson Fisheries Act Reauthorization Bill. The council provided comments on the draft management plans for GFNMS and MBNMS and the draft environmental impact statement. The council passed a resolution in support of the GFNMS and MBNMS management plans as well as the GFNMS proposed regulations with the proposed council changes.
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