Abstract
Through a historic, unprecedented effort, federal, state, regional, and tribal entities—the caretakers of New England’s marine environment—have joined forces to develop this comprehensive Northeast Ocean Plan. It is a blueprint to protect and manage a public treasure together.
This Plan summarizes the ocean planning process and is a guide to informing agency decisions and practices in order to continue making progress toward achieving regional goals for the management of our public ocean resources.
This Plan recognizes that these goals and a desire to move toward an ecosystem-based approach to management must be achieved through existing legal frameworks by using the best available information and by ensuring public and scientific input in every decision. Therefore, the work is not done, and this Plan serves as the foundation for continued progress.
These chapters describe the path forward for achieving the Northeast Ocean Contents Plan’s goals—a path that rlefects the Regional Planning Body’s interest in continued public engagement, in a foundation of sound science, and in advancing an adaptive approach to managing the ocean ecosystem.
CHAPTER 1 describes the unique characteristics of the Northeast US and the need for and benefts of ocean planning.
CHAPTER 2 summarizes the ocean planning process to date, including the development of ocean planning goals, the Northeast Ocean Data Portal, and the Northeast Ocean Plan (Plan).
CHAPTER 3 summarizes the regulatory framework for managing ocean and coastal resources. It then provides and in-depth look at the 10 primary ocean resources and activities for which this Plan will guide and inform decision-making: Marine life & Habitat, Cultural Resources, Marine Transportation, National Security, Commercial & Recreational Fishing, Recreation, Energy & Infrastructure\, Aquaculture, Offshore Sand Resources, and Restoration.
CHAPTER 4 describes how the Regional Planning Body (RPB) will implement the Plan. This discussion includes best practices for intergovernmental coordination and stakeholder engagement, Plan implementation and oversight responsibilities, and commitments to developing frameworks for monitoring and evaluating plan performance and ocean and ecosystem health.
CHAPTER 5 identifies knowledge and information gaps and organizes those gaps under six primary science and research priorities. These data and information gaps were identified throughout the planning process by the RPB, stakeholders, and scientists. Agencies' decisions will be enhanced as each of these gaps is filled by the RPB and the broader community over time.