Resources Agency Sea Grant Advisory Panel (RASGAP)


The Resources Agency Sea Grant Advisory Panel (RASGAP) was legislatively mandated to help fund scientific research that supports coastal and ocean management and policy priorities and decision-making.   The panel membership, as listed below, is comprised of representatives from Departments within the California Natural Resources Agency and CalEPA, the Legislature, academia, and industry:

  • California Natural Resources Agency: Jenn Eckerle, Mike Esgro
  • California State Senate: Senator Mike McGuire, Tom Weseloh
  • California State Assembly: Assemblymember Phillip Chen
  • California Department of Fish and Wildlife: Debbie Aseltine-Neilson
  • Office of Spill Prevention and Response: Mike Anderson
  • State Lands Commission: Jennifer Mattox
  • California State University: Steve Murray
  • University of California: Brian Gaylord
  • California Department of Conservation: Jeff Onsted
  • California fish and seafood industries: Chris Voss, Kim Selkoe
  • California Coastal Commission: Susan Hansch, Lesley Ewing, Lauren Garske
  • California State Parks: Michelle Succow
  • California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment: Wesley Smith
  • State Water Resources Control Board: Rebecca Fitzgerald, Katherine Walsh, Jonathan Dolan
  • University of Southern California: Doug Capone
  • Marine engineering industry: Dirk Rosen
  • Aquaculture industry: Peter Struffenegger

The Ocean Protection Council convenes RASGAP on behalf of the Secretary for Natural Resources and works closely with California’s two Sea Grant programs, California Sea Grant and University of Southern California Sea Grant, to advance research that informs state management and policy priorities related to protection of coastal and ocean resources in California.  RASGAP provides a required state funding match to support federal funding provided to California’s Sea Grant programs.

RASGAP meets twice a year: in the spring to review and rank preliminary proposals, and again in the fall after peer and technical reviews have been conducted – to help rank projects in the context of state management and policy needs. Funding from California Sea Grant is provided every year with additional projects being supported by funds from USC Sea Grant every other year.