The Northeast Regional Ocean Council’s Ocean Planning Committee today held a webinar to provide an update of state-led marine planning efforts in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, as well as an update from the New England Fishery Management Council.
Participants provided updates on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound Blue Plan, Massachusetts’ Ocean Management Plan, and Rhode Island’s Ocean and Bay Special Area Management Plans.
Presenters will describe their policies related to transmission cables, aquaculture, offshore wind, and other activities and address their use of the Northeast Ocean Data Portal, best practices identified in the Northeast Ocean Plan, and potential opportunities and priorities for continued improvement and coordination with NROC.
The New England Fishery Management Council provided updates on offshore development policies, Omnibus Habitat Amendment 2, Omnibus Deep-Sea Coral Amendment, Clam Dredge Framework, and a Fishing Effects Model.
NROC is a regional ocean partnership formed in 2005 by the Governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut to provide a voluntary forum for states and federal partners to coordinate and collaborate on the development of goals and priorities and address regional coastal and ocean management challenges with creative solutions that support balanced uses and conservation of the Northeast’s ocean and coastal resources.
The Committee was established to inform and recommend to NROC how best to approach regional issues and coordinate activities related to ocean planning in New England.
