Public Invited to Marine Spatial Planning Workshop in Aberdeen, WA October 20th, 2009

On June 12, 2009 the Obama Administration created an Ocean Policy Task Force to develop recommendations on a national policy to ensure the protection and restoration of our coastal resources and build a framework for what is being referred to as marine spatial planning. It is defined as a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives that have been specified through a political process. But in simpler terms it can be understood as bringing together diverse users of the ocean to make informed and coordinated decisions about how to use marine resources. Different tools are used to create a very comprehensive picture of a marine area and the activities that occur there and unlike land-use planning it’s three dimensional due to the ocean’s surface and depth which includes a very rich topography.

A free public workshop on marine spatial planning will be held on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 from 9:30am to 4:00pm at the Grays Harbor College Bishop Center. Hosted by the Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee with sponsorship from the Nature Conservancy, this workshop will give the Grays Harbor community a seat at the table when decisions about ocean use are being made, said Al Carter, Gray’s Harbor County Commissioner, who has worked closely with state and local community members to form the Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee. It’s important for the community to get up to speed and be involved in the process now, especially while Obama’s Ocean Policy Task Force is working on the framework for marine spatial planning as we speak. They will be looking to local groups like the Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee for input and recommendations, Carter said, and this workshop is the perfect opportunity to gather that input.

The workshop will include an overview of marine spatial planning, an introduction and an explanation of some of the specific tools used for planning. Local stakeholders, including representatives of conservation, energy development, fishing and recreational groups, will share their perspectives on marine planning.

All are welcome to attend this public workshop on October 20th and everyone will be given an opportunity to participate in an open floor discussion of the day’s topics. For more information you may email Garrett Dalan at gdalan@co.grays-harbor.wa.us. To learn more about the Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee please visit their website at http://www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/info/pub_svcs/MRC/index.html and to learn more about marine spatial planning go to http://www.unesco-ioc-marinesp.be/msp_faq.

Current members of the Grays Harbor Marine Resource Committee are: Eric Delvin, The Nature Conservancy; Kathy Greer, Surfrider Foundation; Robin Leraas, Port of Grays Harbor; Bob Burkle, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Joe Schumacker, Quinault Indian Nation; Arthur D. “RD” Grunbaum, local citizen; Ray Toste, commercial fisherman; Don Harders, oyster farmer; Don Samuelson, Westport Charter Boat Association; Birdie Davenport, Washington Department of Natural Resources; Lorena Marchant, Grays Harbor College; and Francis Estalilla, sport fisherman.