Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team Accomplishments

Sept 1, 2009 - Mike Chrisman, Secretary for Natural Resources and Ocean Protection Council Chair announced the release of the Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team (OPC-SAT) First Year Accomplishments. 

Since its establishment in February 2008, the OPC-SAT has helped place the OPC at the forefront of novel approaches to ocean management. The California Ocean Science Trust (OST) coordinates the activities of the OPC-SAT. Additionally, the OST Executive Director serves as the Science Advisor to the Ocean Protection Council and co-chairs the team with Dr. Rich Ambrose of the University of California, Los Angeles.  Together, the OPC, the OST, and OPC-SAT have made great strides toward furthering the use and application of ocean and coastal science to management.

The OPC-SAT has advanced the OPC’s mandate of ensuring that science informs policy decisions.  The recently-formed OPC-SAT has already been instrumental in improving the quality of the products and projects the OPC supports, thereby ensuring the OPC funds science-based projects that are of the highest priority and quality.  This highly multidisciplinary team serves a variety of functions, including:

• Strengthening the scientific quality of projects and proposals through scientific and technical peer review
• Developing innovative research priorities to help the OPC identify and fund robust, high quality science that will inform management and provide managers with new tools and approaches
• Identifying critical emerging issues in order to guarantee that the OPC remains at the forefront of innovative coastal and ocean management

Sec. Chrisman is very excited by the progress and accomplishments that the OPC-SAT has achieved in its first year of establishment.  He looks forward to working with the OPC-SAT as it continues to improve and ensure the quality of scientific information provided to the OPC.