Ocean Zone News Blog

NOAA’s National Marine Protected Areas Center has created a new interactive online mapping tool that, for the first time, allows users to view boundaries and access data for more than a thousand marine protected areas (MPAs) in the United States.

“Our staff gets calls from people who want to know more about the management of their local waters. This new mapping tool provides a snapshot of what activities are allowed and how people can get more information about MPAs,” said Joseph Uravitch, director of NOAA’s MPA Center. “The site brings together information from dozens of management agencies creating an efficient one-stop resource.”

Overview
The North Pacific Crab Association, representing several shore-based processors and western-Alaska Community Development Quota (“CDQ”) organizations, has serious concerns about the “Interim Framework For Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning”, and respectfully submits these detailed comments.

Our most significant concern is the potential for the CMSP framework to usurp the successful regional council process for fisheries management in the federal waters off of Alaska; which has resulted in several “catch share” programs that are recognized as some of the most successful sustainable fisheries management models in the world.