Issue Highlights:
WA Ocean Policy Work Group update
Relase of "Action for Washington's Ocean: The Interim Report of the Washington State Ocean Policy Work Group" - December 31, 2005
State Ocean Policy News
CA - Launch of California Ecosystem-based Management Intiative
Other News
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Washington State
Developments
Ocean Policy Work Group Update
The Washington Ocean Policy Work Group held its fifth meeting in Olympia, WA on Tuesday January 17, 2006, the first meeting of 2006 and the first since the release of the OPWG's Interim Report. Links to the summary of this meeting, as well as to the 2005 Interim Report, are below. The next steps for the OPWG are planning a public outreach program, concluding with a second, more comprehensive policy report for the Governor and Legislature, due by the end of 2006.
Report of Meeting #5 - January 17, 2006 (PDF, 155k)
Action for Washington's Ocean: The Interim Report of the Washington State Ocean Policy Work Group - Released December 31, 2005 (PDF 748k)
ARCHIVE: Reports of OPWG Meetings #1-4, August - December 2005
 State Ocean
Governance Update
Note: We hope to track the most active States in ocean policy. We are currently tracking numerous State ocean policy developments. The following are selected examples, and we hope to continue to include further examples in future issues. If you have specific updates on State activities, please contact the newsletter (see left).
Oregon
The OPAC had a meeting in Newport, OR on January 20th 2006. The agenda for that meeting, and the forthcoming meeting summary, can be found at the OPAC homepage. The next Oregon OPAC meeting is scheduled for March 17th, in Tilamook, OR. The public is invited to attend.
Oregon and the OPAC continue to address Governor Ted Kulongoski's request to have the Oregon Coast named a National Marine Sanctuary. View the press release.
Hawaii
Legislation has been introduced in the Hawaii State Legislature (SB 2361 & HB 2398) to formalize the Hawaii Ocean and Coastal Council. The Council was orginally formed by Executive Order of Governor Linda Lingle, but the Council is set to expire at the end of this legislative session unless legislation is passed to make the council permanent. Pacific Buisness News story on Hawaii Ocean & Coastal Council.
California
The California Ocean Protection Council held its most recent meeting in Santa Barbara on January 13, 2006. For details on this and future meetings, visit the California OPC Public Meetings homepage. The next California Ocean Protection Council Meeting is scheduled for April 20-21 in Sacramento, CA.
Since this meeting, California has launched an Intiative on Ecosystem-based Management. Through California Sea Grant and University of Southern California Sea Grant, proposals for research to implement ecosystem-based management will be called for. In addition, the Ocean Protection Council is funding projects to implement ecosystem-based management throughout the state. Find the January 27, 2006 memorandum here.
The Ocean Protection Council is still busy in preparation for the upcoming conference: "California and the World Ocean ’06: Implementing California’s Vision for Ocean and Coastal Protection." This international conference with as many as 1000 participants will take place September 17-20, 2006 in Long Beach, through which California will invite
representatives from all 35 coastal
states, academia, government,
industry, and the public to
positively influence the course of
ocean and coastal protection. The
conference will focus on the new
strategic vision that will be
adopted by the California Ocean
Protection Council in June. A CWO '06 Web site with more information will be announced soon. If you have any questions in the interim, please contact Marilyn Hauck from The Complete Conference at mhauck@completeconference.com or (916) 922-7032.
Florida
The Florida Ocean and Coastal Resources Council released its Annual Science Research Plan for FY 2006-2007. The Plan identifies scientific research gaps in the state, while focusing on the need to understand and predict environmental change on an ecosystem level. For more information, please visit the Florida Ocean and Coastal Resources Council hompage.
Other News
Joint Ocean Commission Initiative releases Report Card & Reviews Bush Budget Proposal
The Joint Ocean Commission Intiative, a combined effort of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission and their respective chairs, Adm. James Watkins and Leon Panetta, released its report card on ocean policy reform efforts in the U.S. since the release of the two reports. A press release on the report card, as well as the report card itself and the accompanying letter to President Bush, can be found here.
The Joint Ocean Commission Intiative also released a statement on President Bush's FY 2007 Budget Proposal. While some steps are seen as promising, overall the Commission views the budget proposal as lacking in terms of elevating the recognition and importance of ocean-related programs around the country.
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