Revised Draft Ocean Protection Council Strategic Action Plan Available for Public Comment
UPDATE – The public comment period on the Revised Draft Ocean Protection Council Strategic Action Plan is now closed. Thank you for submitting comments! Received comments can be read here.
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Ocean and Coastal Community
FROM: Amber Mace, Executive Director, Ocean Protection Council
DATE: December 15, 2011
RE: Release of Revised Draft Ocean Protection Council Strategic Plan for 30 Day Public Comment
ATTACHMENT: Revised Draft Ocean Protection Council Strategic Action Plan
The Ocean Protection Council (OPC) staff are pleased to present a revised draft Ocean Protection Council Strategic Plan, which is available for public comment through January 16, 2012. The previous draft strategic plan received extensive and valuable comments from OPC members, the OPC Steering Committee, OPC Science Advisory Team, federal, tribal, industry, and NGO partners, and the public during the public comment period from August 1, 2011 to September 12, 2011. This present plan attempts to address those comments and as such has changed significantly; therefore, we are undertaking an additional public comment period.
This revised draft strategic plan clarifies how OPC will engage as a science-informed policy and coordination body to tackle the complex challenges faced by California’s coastal and ocean ecosystems and communities. The plan intends to provide vision, context, and proposed actions that form a targeted and tractable approach to address these mounting challenges. It recognizes the economic value of our ocean resources and honors the OPC’s fundamental mission to protect and preserve the health of marine ecosystems. The plan identifies both opportunities and responsibilities; it is intended to be a roadmap for the Council to apply its leadership, expertise, and resources.
Summary of Changes in Response to Comments
The introductory text was streamlined and focused to more clearly and concisely articulate the context for the strategic plan, OPC’s past accomplishments, and OPC’s strategic approach to provide a unified vision for ocean governance in California.
The revised draft strategic plan includes five focal areas with an associated goal statement for each:
A. Science-based decision-making
B. Climate change
C. Sustainable fisheries and marine ecosystems
D. Coastal and ocean impacts from land-based sources
E. Existing and emerging ocean uses
Science-based decision-making was moved from the fifth to the first focal area to better reflect its foundational role for all OPC work and its cross-cutting applicability to the four substantive focal areas.
The introductory text for each focal area has been revised to provide additional background on the issues and the OPC’s past efforts, along with a clear rationale for OPC’s proposed future engagement. The objectives and actions associated with the issues for each focal area have been streamlined and condensed. In particular, the detailed actions proposed in the earlier draft have been converted to higher-level actions that provide direction for OPC to implement its strategic approach in a way that does not presuppose a policy outcome without public consideration by the OPC. The OPC will carefully consider which polices to recommend based on a clear process that includes the best available science and deliberation of options. High-level actions also help the OPC retain its agility, so that it is responsive to emerging issues and innovative ideas. Many of the comments received contained recommendations for very specific actions. These were accommodated as appropriate, and our partners and stakeholders will note that many of their suggested actions or priorities fall under or are consistent with the high-level actions that are included in the current draft plan.
To ensure accountability and measure its impacts, the OPC will develop outcomes or outputs for each of the actions that it chooses to pursue. Thus, the detailed metrics were removed from the strategic plan. In many cases, the success of the proposed actions will be contingent upon successful partnerships and collaborations. OPC is mindful about launching unfunded or costly programs; OPC will work with partners to identify funding sources and develop clear plans for designing and implementing proposed projects or programs as appropriate.
Timeline and Public Engagement
As part of the second formal public comment period, the OPC staff are soliciting feedback from the public on this revised draft strategic plan. Comments can be emailed to opc.comments@scc.ca.gov or mailed to:
John Laird, Secretary for Natural Resources
Chair, California Ocean Protection Council
California Natural Resources Agency
1416 Ninth Street, Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814
The plan is available here and open for public comment through 5:00 p.m. Pacific time on January 16, 2012.
