National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan

I just finished reading through the National Ocean Council’s (NOC) newly released National Ocean Policy (NOP) Implementation Plan.  The NOP Implementation Plan provides a road-map for how federal agencies will implement President Obama’s 2010 Nation Ocean Policy from Executive Order 13547 and focuses on nine priority areas:

1. Ecosystem-Based Management
2. Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding
3. Observations, Mapping, and Infrastructure
4. Coordinate and Support
5. Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration
6. Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification
7. Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land
8. Changing Conditions in the Arctic
9. Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning

The West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health is the in the process of assembling their comments on the Implementation Plan, and I’m excited to be helping to write these comments.  It’s gratifying to see that many of our comments on the draft Strategic Action Plan outlines released in June 2011 were taken into consideration and incorporated.  For example, in the original Strategic Action Plan for the priority Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration in Action 6: reduce the threat of marine invasive species, the only invasive species to be considered was the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish.  To be sure, lionfish have invaded and become established along the Southeast United States and the Caribbean, and these fish are a huge problem in this area.  However, each region of the United States has its own invasive species problems, and the WCGA commented that if the NOC was going to choose focal species, they should choose one for each of the nine regions.  Here on the West Coast, the WCGA has chosen to focus on invasive Spartina, a cordgrass that has invaded numerous large estuaries on the West Coast, but we acknowledge that there are other invasive species on our coasts as well.  Now, in the NOP Implementation Plan, the Action to ‘locate, control, and, where possible, eradicate invasive species populations’ is written to include all regions of the United States rather than focusing solely on the invasive lionfish in the Southeast.

I think that the the NOP has done a great job addressing comments they received from the WCGA and other respondents but, there is still room for improvement.  I’m glad that the NOC incorporated our comments to not focus on a single invasive species.  However, it might be useful for this specific action to think about preventing introductions as well as controlling them.  The WCGA would like the NOC to consider efforts to prevent the introduction of aquatic invasive species, such as by supporting ballast water treatments and addressing hull fouling and the trade of live organisms (a largely unmanaged vector).  No one knows the exact source of the lionfish invasion, but the data suggest that the it may have been introduced through the aquarium trade.  Putting some energy into outreach and education could save a lot of time, money, and effort in the long run.  It’s a lot easier and much less costly to prevent introductions than to clean up the mess once the invasion has been established.

As the WCGA is preparing its own comments on the NOP Implementation Plan, you can also share your perspective with the National Ocean Council.  When the Strategic Action Plan outline came out in June 2011, the NOC conducted listening sessions throughout all the regions of the United States.  I attended the listening session in San Francisco and had the opportunity to hear public comments regarding two priority areas— Ecosystem-Based Management and Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning.   It seems to me that the NOC takes comments from the public seriously.  During the Ecosystem-Based Management session, I heard more than one person comment that they wanted the Implementation Plan to reflect the definition of Ecosystem-Based Management supported through a consensus statement signed by over 200 highly regarded academic scientists.  The new Implementation Draft now reflects that definition and reads:

EBM is as an integrated approach to resource management that considers the entire ecosystem, including humans and that the goal of EBM is to maintain an ecosystem in a healthy, productive, and resilient condition so that it can provide the services humans want and need.

McLeod et al. 2005

The NOC is asking for public comments on the Implementation Plan by midnight February 27^th.  You can read the Implementation Plan here.  The NOC has a web-based platform where you can type your comments in directly or even upload attachments if your comments are lengthy.

Specifically, the NOC is interested to hear your comments on:

• Does the draft Implementation Plan reflect actions you see are needed to address the nine priorities for the ocean, coasts, and the Great Lakes?
• What is the most effective way to measure outcomes and to detect whether a particular action in the Implementation Plan has achieved its intended outcome? Would a report card format be useful?

So go read the plans and do your part to help shape the future of our coasts and oceans.

King Tides on the West Coast

Most people these days know about the effects of climate change. Every day the news reports about the change in weather patterns, the increase of extreme events, changes in snowpack, the retreat of glaciers. The list goes on and on. For the half of the US population that lives on the coast, we hear about sea level rise and coastal inundation and what we might expect for the future.

Still, does the average coastal resident really understand how rising sea levels and coastal inundation will impact them?

(Left) A sidewalk is lost to this King Tide near Rotary Park, Olympia WA. Photo by TallJoyClan, (Right) Water creeps up to mid-sign during a high tide event in La Conner WA. Photo by ConwaySuz

Washington, Oregon, and California are taking proactive steps to make sure that coastal residents, planners, and decision makers alike have the chance to see what sea level rise might look like in their own backyards. It’s called the King Tides Initiative, and every winter brings the opportunity to visualize what a rise in sea level might mean for communities and infrastructure along the West Coast.

The concept began in 2009 in Australia by Phil Watson, the Principle Coastal Specialist of

Park in San Francisco during a large king tide event. Photo by sirgious.

the New South Wales’ Environment Department. They used the term “king tide” to define the high tides that occur when the gravitational pull of the sun and the moon is in alignment. Green Cross Australia continues this initiative, and recently launched a disaster resilience portal Queensland that connects climate awareness with disaster preparedness, working with the research community and advanced Facebook apps to empower people to take tailored steps to address hazard exposure.

These king tides, which take place during the winter along the West Coast, create higher than usual high tides that inundate roads, wetlands, water systems, and more. It’s a stunning preview of what we might experience regularly in the future as a result of rising sea levels.

Seawater almost spilling over this seawall at Alki Beach WA. Photo by dcsdiving.

West Coast states created their own King Tides Initiatives, with regional and local public outreach and education campaigns that ask coastal residents and visitors to photograph high tide events and share them on the photo sharing site Flickr®. By documenting and sharing photos, participants are helping create a living record of vulnerable areas of the coast. Because most photos are licensed under creative commons, they can be accessed and used by anyone. This makes king tide photos a resource for anyone, from teachers to planners to scientists, to communicate the impacts of climate change in a tangible way.

To learn more about the King Tides Initiative in California, I spoke with Marina Psaros, the Coastal Training Program Coordinator for the San Francisco Bay National Estuary Research Reserve.

What has been the biggest impact you’ve seen from the California King Tides campaign?

The king tides initiative is such a simple, powerful way to start a conversation about coastal hazards.  We’ve been able to reach a lot of people who don’t know much about coastal flooding and potential climate change impacts.  We recently held an exhibition of some of the photos at the California Academy of Sciences, and it was amazing to see

Home is inundated in Cairns North Queensland. Photo by Witness King Tides.

people’s immediate, visceral reactions to the images.  Concepts like “tidal inundation” and “sea level rise” are really abstract for most people, but a picture of water slamming up against a well-known landmark is immediately clear.

How can these pictures help us prepare for the future?

These images help engage people on the coast in a conversation about climate change and sea level rise. By participating in king tide events, coastal residents are helping to create a living record of areas that are vulnerable to flooding, and an online resource that can be used by anyone to communicate about coastal hazards. Creating new awareness through social media and other outreach, like the California Academy of Sciences photo exhibition, encourages people to think more proactively about the future of their communities. It also helps decision-makers visualize the impacts sea level rise could have on places where we live, work, and play. 

Can anyone get involved with King Tides?

This hotel on the beach in Yamba New South Wales is lost to a king tide. Photo by Witness King Tides.

 If you have a camera and can get to the coast, yes! Just check your state’s website for king tide events in your area, head out to the coast to take pictures of the king tides, and upload your images to Flickr®. While you’re on the Flickr® site, be sure to check out the rest of the photo pool.  We also encourage people to use these amazing pictures for their own communications – the images are available under a creative commons license. You can also get more information on the initiative through this recent Thank you Ocean podcast: http://www.thankyouocean.org/tag/king-tides/.

NOAA tides gauges and NASA satellites have been recording a global rise in sea level for 150 years.  This rise is linked to a number of atmospheric and oceanic processes; including changes in global temperatures, hydrologic cycles, coverage of glaciers and ice sheets, and storm frequency and intensity. Although high tides are a naturally occurring event, it’s a preview of water levels that climate models show might be a new “normal” in 100 years.

This biker makes his way around the seawater in Mill Valley near Stinson Beach CA. Photo by Yanna B.

The motivation to start talking about hazard mitigation and adaptation is king tide photos of washed out roads, flooded homes, and shrinking beaches. We’ve got a lot to prepare for. Perhaps king tides are nature’s way of giving us a head start.

If you want to be part of the King Tides campaign in your state or province, please visit the following websites to see the schedule of tide events:

Washington King Tides (http://www.ecy.wa.gov/climatechange/ipa_hightide.htm)

Oregon King Tides (http://www.climateadaptationplanning.net/kingtides/)

California King Tides (http://californiakingtides.org/)

British Columbia King Tides (http://www.livesmartbc.ca/connect/kingtidephotos/)

Australia King Tides (http://www.greencrossaustralia.org/our-work/witness-king-tides-a-community-photography-project.aspx)

Related articles

• King tides return to Puget Sound this week (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• King tides return to Seattle (seattlepi.com)
• King tide photo project documents Pacific sea level rise impacts. (seattlepi.com)
• Winter’s ‘king tides’ coming to state beaches (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Extra High ‘King Tides’ Are Coming Dec. 27 – 29 & Jan. 13 – 17 (b-townblog.com)
• PHOTOS: ‘King tides’ raise Puget Sound level (seattlepi.com)
• Up early? Watch ‘king tides’ along West Seattle shores this week (westseattleblog.com)
• King tides are back but not quite as high as last year (westseattleherald.com)
• Grab a camera and help state track ‘king tides’ (heraldnet.com)
• With king tides, state hopes to capture rising sea (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

A Huge Experiment

I like how Bill McKibben talks about climate change in his book “Eaarth.” Humans’ impact on the climate is like “a huge experiment,” one that has never been run before. We get to watch it play out before our very eyes, without a control, and without any true sense of the outcome. We are only beginning to understand the scale of this experiment, and the consequences of running it. But it’s clear that there is change happening now. And it’s happening faster than anyone would have dreamed.

Ocean Acidification, from the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory website http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/co2/story/Ocean+Acidification.

Of all the consequences of releasing billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the most intriguing and unnerving to me is the change it’s causing in the ocean.

“It’s basic science,” said Brian Baird, former Congressman and the last speaker at a town hall meeting I attended in Seattle last month. The presentation, “Dissolving Before Our Eyes: The Acidification of Our Oceans, and Why It Matters to All of Us”. Speakers discussed the science, policy, and social sides of ocean acidification—and why we all need to pay attention.

Baird was referring to the simple formula that tells us why we can expect a progressively more acidic ocean in the future. It’s called ocean “saturation state,”—science has shown that when carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere by the ocean, chemical reactions occur that reduce seawater pH. With a decrease in pH, the ocean becomes an environment that dissolves calcium, a vital part of the shells and plates that many ocean dwellers need to survive.

Past and present variability of marine pH. Future predictions for years shown on the right-hand side of the figure are model-derived values based on IPCC mean scenarios. From http://ioc3.unesco.org/oanet/FAQacidity.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The basic elements of the ocean food web consist of creatures like pteropods and zooplankton, which form from calcium carbonate and its derivatives, aragonite and calcite. These creatures are foundational to the food web and the fuel that most critters in the ocean need to thrive. Not only is the food source at risk, but we begin to see oysters, clams, and other shellfish not surviving through juvenile stages because of shell deformities. We quickly realize that this condition threatens not just those requiring shells. Ocean acidification affects the entire ocean ecosystem and the economies that depend on it.

A shell placed in seawater with increased acidity slowly dissolves over 45 days. CREDIT: Courtesy of the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory

Recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences suggest ways to classify, monitor, research, and evaluate ocean acidification, but none of those recommendations suggest steps we can take to mediate or reverse it. It’s like many of the problems associated with climate change; we’ll “stem the flow” if we globally reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 80% within the next 50 years. Otherwise, we’re looking at a seriously different world than what we see in front of us today.

But it’s not that “simple.” Even with a monumental societal epiphany, and with cooperation and agreement among industrialized nations to suddenly focus exclusively on alternatives to fossil fuel consumption, we’re still in for a bumpy ride.

Ocean circulation is slow. It takes 1,000 years for deep water from the North Atlantic to reach the surface of the Pacific. This means that most of the anthropogenic CO₂ released into the atmosphere during the Industrial Revolution is still in the deep ocean. Slow circulation, according to Dr. Richard Feely of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, means that we can expect another 30 to 60% decrease in calcification over the next several decades. Considering we are nowhere close to a “zero emissions” world, this is just the beginning.

The Ocean conveyor belt, from http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/ocean-current3.htm

To get to a world that begins taking action toward the goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions, we need a social movement on a global scale.

Baird described social change in a series of stages, based on his years as a psychologist.

• Stage 1 – Precontemplation: characterized by denial and ignorance of the problem.
• Stage 2 – Contemplation: Ambivalence, conflicted emotions.
• Stage 3 – Preparation: Beginning to experiment with small changes, and collecting information about change
• Stage 4 – Action: Begin taking direct action toward achieving a goal

Nationally, we’re still working our way up the ladder to social change, and negotiating a process that may seem a little more inconvenient and costly than business as usual. I would challenge that no matter what your opinion is on climate change, you would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t appreciate the ocean.

What we have through science is a definitive answer; if we continue with status quo, this problem will persist, and the ocean will continue to change. We need action by every individual and by the world to begin to tackle this issue.

I have to believe that every little bit helps. Every time I ride my bike or walk instead of drive, I battle ocean acidification. Every time I choose local over global, I save some pteropods. When I grab a sweater instead of turning up the heat, or make sure every light is off before I leave, I’m making a difference. We have to move from knowledge into action, because there will be no room for excuses with generations to come.

West Coast Oceans: 2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 1,300 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 22 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Measuring the Pulse of Puget Sound

Scientists at NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA are studying the life in Puget Sound’s surface waters—from microbes to fish and jellyfish— to understand this complex living system and shed light on how human activity affects its health . By understanding what groups of species live where and when and why, we can select measurable characteristics that tell us how the whole ecosystem is doing . This information can then be used by managers to protect and recover the life of Puget Sound. From Spring to Fall 2011, principle investigators Correigh Greene, Casey Rice, Linda Rhodes, and Kurt Fresh, and over 20 other scientists, technicians, and volunteers surveyed more than 80 sites from Commencement Bay in the south to Bellingham Bay in the north and Hood Canal in the west, representing of a range of natural conditions and human influence.

The Real Cost of Aquatic Invaders

I was interested to read recently that ballast water standards adopted by New York to prevent the spread of invasive species have prompted concern among several Great Lakes Governors, who say that the regulations will halt shipping in the St. Lawrence Seaway and jeopardize thousands of jobs. The new standards, which are more stringent than the Phase One standards proposed by the United States Coast Guard, require vessels transiting through New York waters to install ballast water treatment systems in order to protect the fragile ecosystems in New York and in the Great Lakes.  In 2009, the right of NY to establish standards via the Clean Water Act process was upheld in a New York Court of Appeals suite brought forth by the shipping industry.

The new standards have far reaching effects as all ships entering the Great Lakes need to pass through NY waters and must therefore install the new treatment technologies to “inactivate” biological organisms and pathogens. Systems inactivate organisms using a variety of methods including filtration, UV irradiation, deoxygenation, electrolysis, ultrasound, and something ominously called chemical biocide. Unfortunately, due to a relatively small number of “real world” tests of system performance in a variety of environmental and vessel conditions, there remains a high level of uncertainty with regard to treatment effectiveness.

Ships emptying ballast water at the Port of Oakland . CREDIT: Monaca Noble, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

Examples of aquatic invasive species presently found on the West Coast include the European green crab (Carcinus maenas), Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis), zebra mussels (genus  Dreissena), cordgrasses (genus Spartina), and  Undaria pinnatifida. West Coast states have undertaken multimillion dollar projects to control or eradicate these aquatic invasive species.It is widely recognized that aquatic invasive species wreak havoc on our natural systems and infrastructure. By out competing native plants and animals, modifying habitat, and disrupting food webs, their effects can be seen in coastal ecosystems worldwide. What is also known is that invasive species cost the US billions of dollars annually in damage to coastal infrastructure, eradication and control efforts, and disruption to ecosystem services.

The West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health (WCGA) recognized the threat of invasive species to the ecological, social, public health, and economic integrity of the region’s marine resources. The WCGA action plan acknowledged the great work already underway in the region on ballast water through the Pacific Ballast Water Group which acts as a forum for states to coordinate their ballast water policies. On the West Coast, California has had an effective ballast water management program in place since 2000 which has focused on performance standards as well as ballast water exchange. It has served as a model for the West Coast and, unlike the fears raised by the Great Lakes, has not resulted in decreased port activity.

In addition, the WCGA formed the Spartina Eradication Action Coordination Team focused on eradicating and preventing the spread of this invasive cordgrass. While not typically spread through ballast water, non-native Spartina dominates newly restored tidal marshes, changes the hydrology of estuaries by modification of tidal creeks and navigational channels, displaces thousands of acres of shorebird habitat, drastically reduces biodiversity, and decreases available intertidal habitat for commercial shellfish production.

I wanted to talk to someone who knows whether ballast water treatment standards will be effective on the West Coast to preventing the spread of invasive species. Mark Sytsma, the Director of the Center for Lakes and Reservoirs at Portland State University and former co-chair of the Spartina Eradication Action Coordination Team, was gracious enough to answer some of my questions.

Do you think the NY ballast water standards are the answer to preventing the spread and introduction of invasive species in NY and on the Great Lakes?

Mark: Standards are not the only answer to preventing new introductions, [ballast water] treatment is. Standards are [only] a way to direct and evaluate the treatment effectiveness. Unfortunately, no one knows what discharge standards are protective for our water resources. How many new introductions are acceptable? At this point, we don’t know the answer to that.

Are many of the invasive species on the West Coast introduced through ballast water?

Mark: Yes. Look at the 2004 Lower Columbia River Aquatic Non-indigenous Species report on our website about introductions to the Columbia. There is similar literature on SF Bay. It’s hard to imagine how some species could have gotten to the West Coast from Asia, except by hitchhiking in a ballast water tank.

Would ballast water treatment work on the West Coast?

Mark: I think everyone thinks that treatment is the answer. The question is how to treat [ballast water] quickly and effectively. There are a number of systems available and the California State Lands Commission has a report that describes the effectiveness and status of [treatment] systems.

What efforts has the Spartina ACT done to prevent the re-introduction of Spartina?

Mark: The funding that the WCGA provided for the Spartina action plan last year was used to develop environmental documents for Spartina treatment in Humboldt Bay and to do control of S. patens in Siuslaw estuary in Oregon. Both of these could be considered prevention, because infestations from these two sites threatens to spread to other areas on the West Coast. Certainly, those of us in Oregon see the Humboldt work as critical to preventing spread of Spartina to Oregon.

Thanks to Mark I was able to gain some insight from one of the experts on the West Coast. For me the questions raised by the Great Lakes Governors highlight the perceived tension between economic growth and ecological preservation. However, as we have seen in examples from the West Coast and around the world, failing to prevent and/or control aquatic invasive species is costly to infrastructure, jobs, and the environment. It is an investment in the future health of our economy and oceans that I think is worth making.

Guest Blog: Connecting Ecosystem-Based Projects Along the West Coast

John Hansen, Program Director of the West Coast EBM Network, shares with us his experience at the 2011 West Coast EBM Network annual meeting. Photographs by Alan Lovewell.

The West Coast Ecosystem-Based Management Network (Network) recently held its 2011 Annual Meeting in Eureka, California.  The meeting brought together local project staff from 10 West Coast communities, representatives from ocean and coastal nongovernmental organizations (NGO)s, Washington, Oregon, Southern and Central California, and California Sea Grant, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health (WCGA), along with a number of local, state and federal staff from the Humboldt Bay area. The meeting took place over two days and included over 60 attendees.

John Hansen and the West Coast EBM Network taking a tour through the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary

Early portions of the meeting highlighted the latest efforts taking place in coastal communities along the West Coast, including 10 sites ranging from San Diego to the outer coast of Washington State.  Project staff presented successful ecosystem-based management approaches driven by strong engagement with local stakeholders, including climate change planning, habitat restoration, and supporting local fisheries and working waterfronts, among other topics.  Discussion focused on exchanging local lessons and addressing common challenges, while revealing management experiences for the entire West Coast region.

Christina Holt discusses the National Ocean Policy and the West Coast Governors' Agreement

Following the spotlight on local efforts, presentations were then given by representatives from NOAA and WCGA to provide updates on regional and national-level activities.  NOAA staff summarized the latest activities of the National Ocean Council and the preparation for new regional coastal and marine spatial planning frameworks.  The WCGA Executive Committee updated the group on the latest regional issues along the West Coast, and efforts of WCGA related to broader national-level planning and CMSP.  Finally, the four WCGA Fellows provided a briefing on their respective work plans and ongoing activities related to integrated ecosystem assessments (IEAs), climate change and sustainable communities, regional research planning, and a West Coast regional data sharing framework.

Alison Haupt and Kate Skaggs learn about managing the Arcata marshlands

Throughout the meeting, the overlaps between the activities of the West Coast EBM Network and WCGA’s priorities were clearly apparent.  Many local communities throughout the West Coast are directly addressing pressing issues facing their local ecosystems and stakeholders, including preparing for climate change and supporting working waterfronts and local fishing fleets.  These align with the broader goals of WCGA Action Plan and the efforts of the WCGA Action Coordination Teams (ACTs) throughout the three West Coast states.  The activities and expertise housed in the WCGA ACTs were of great interest to the community-level projects at the meeting, and discussions centered on how a stronger connection could be made between the regional ACTs and staff supporting local-level efforts along the coast.

Brian Largay of the Elkhorn Slough Foundation explains the impacts of Spartina on the West Coast wetland environment

On a broader level, the other key lesson taken away from the meeting was the valuable opportunity to grow a mutually beneficial relationship between regional efforts like WCGA and coastal communities.  The WCGA is working towards successful regional approaches throughout the coast, and linking members of their ACTs, on topics that align well with EBM approaches at the local level.  Concurrently, the West Coast EBM Network is working to link coastal communities and successful on-the-ground outcomes, all of which could greatly benefit from a stronger relationship with the WCGA.  Further, local projects may serve as the ideal foundation for regional WCGA efforts, and illustrate the value of enhanced collaboration and planning along the coast through tangible benefits to local stakeholders and communities.

Todd Hallenbeck taking a moment to reflect

The West Coast EBM Network looks forward to continued collaboration with WCGA, including its Executive Committee, ACTs, and Sea Grant Fellows, to highlight the value of this innovative partnership and leverage the benefits to active coastal communities throughout the region.

For more information on the West Coast EBM Network, please visit www.westcoastebm.org.