Since 2004, two national studies concluded that our nation’s oceans are being adversely affected by inadequate management of ocean resources, coastal development, land-based pollution, climate change and other factors. These stresses to ocean ecosystems manifest both ecological and socioeconomic consequences, including decreasing biodiversity and biomass, loss of coastal and marine habitat, impaired water quality, declining fishing industries, and more extensive and costly damage from coastal storms. These commissions were unanimous in recommending ecosystem based management for the nation’s oceans.

In parallel with these national studies, the Massachusetts Ocean Management Task Force recently examined the Commonwealth’s management of the public trust marine and coastal environment and the state’s capacity to effectively manage the intensifying demand on ocean resources from a variety of recreational, commercial and industrial uses. These uses include wind and wave energy facilities, liquefied natural gas terminals, sand and gravel mining, gas pipelines, recreational and commercial fishing, and other uses. The multi-stakeholder Task Force identified significant challenges in effectively managing these growing multiple-use demands and recognized the potential to exacerbate marine resource depletion, habitat and water quality degradation, and conflicts among user groups if these challenges are not addressed. In 2004, the Task Force concluded that a comprehensive approach to ocean management is needed to protect the marine ecosystem and ensure its continued capacity to serve economic, recreation and other public needs.

Achieving the management coordination, integration of scientific information, and stakeholder involvement and support for comprehensive ocean management will require new levels of collaboration among public and private entities involved in ocean activities. Massachusetts has a timely opportunity to pioneer such a comprehensive approach in the U.S. The Task Force findings, the possibility of ocean planning legislation, along with several high profile ocean-related proposals (wind power, liquefied natural gas ports, sand and gravel mining, etc.), together set the stage for proactive change in Massachusetts.

In 2006, a team led by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, along with others involved in the MA Ocean Management Task Force, secured a planning grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to convene diverse stakeholders and develop a Five Year Strategic Plan to advance integrated ocean management in MA.

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