The West Coast Ocean Alliance today announced its Tribal Caucus’ release of “Guidance and Responsibilities for Effective Tribal Consultation, Communication, and Engagement: A Guide for Agencies Working with West Coast Tribes on Ocean & Coastal Issues.”
The guidance includes principles for consultation and best practices for consultation that address early and frequent communication, appropriate representation, understanding and respecting tribal decision-making processes, consensus-seeking approach, and agency transparency and accountability.
The Alliance noted that the document is initially intended for use by government entities participating in the Alliance but that all parties interested in engaging with tribes are encouraged to use the guide “for their own benefit.”
The Alliance is a state-established regional ocean partnership, whose predecessors include the West Coast Ocean Partnership, West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health, and West Coast Governors Agreement on Ocean Health.
