NOAA - Ecosystem Goal Team - To protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through an ecosystem approach to management
News & Events
NOAA Vents Program Celebrates 25 Years of Success
The NOAA Vents Program at the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory celebrates its 25th anniversary this month, marking a quarter century of research, discoveries, and technological innovations in some of the oceans most interesting depths.
Started in 1984 with 4 personnel in Newport, Oregon the NOAA Vents Program has grown to a program with over 20 scientists and technical staff located in both Newport, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Over the course of the past quarter century, the Vents team has made a host of fundamental discoveries and conducted research focused on understanding ocean environmental impacts of deep volcanic eruptions and their associated hydrothermal venting.
The Vents Program is a partner with the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. Together they are making discoveries that have important implications for marine ecosystems.
Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Releases Interim Report
On September 17th, the White House Council on Environmental Quality released the new Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Interim Report. The report details a proposed national policy for the stewardship of the ocean, coastal and Great Lakes ecosystems. The proposed policy coordination framework is also outlined to provide stronger ocean governance and coordination, including the opportunity for greater involvement of State, local, and tribal authorities as well as regional governing structures.
President Obama issued a Memorandum on June 12, 2009, establishing an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, to be led by the Council on Environmental Quality Chair. This interim report by the Task Force considered public comment in developing the national policy, framework for policy coordination, and the implementation strategy that prioritizes the objectives for the United States to meet for the national policy. The next step of the Task Force will be to develop a framework for coastal and marine spatial planning, which is due to the President by December 9, 2009.
