Presentation at Shellfish Aquaculture in Federal Waters Workshop May 15 & 16, 2019 Cat Cove Marine Lab, Salem State University, Salem MA 01970

1. 1
Northeast Ocean Data Portal
Shellfish Aquaculturein Federal Waters
Workshop,NEMAC
May15, 2019
EmilyShumchenia
NickNapoli

2. Northeast Regional Ocean Council
2
• Formedby the NewEngland governors in 2005
• Voluntary forum for states, federal agencies,
and other regional organizations (rotating state
and federal co-chairs)
o Healthy Oceanand Coastal Ecosystems
Committee
o Coastal Hazards Committee
o OceanPlanningCommittee

3. NROC OceanPlanning Committee
3
• Began regional ocean planning activities before Obama-era Executive Order
• Established the Northeast Ocean Data Portal in 2009
• Supported the development of the 2016 Northeast Ocean Plan by the Northeast Regional
Planning Body (under Obama-era EO)
• June 2018, Trump Administration Executive Order
• eliminates the RPB
• points to regional ocean partnerships (ROP) that are “voluntarily convened by
governors”
• allows for those ROPs to express regional priorities for federal coordination

4. NROC OceanPlanning Committee
4
• Since June 2018 release of new EO
• Hosted two full-day public meetings
• Conducted interviews with over 50 individuals
from a wide range of sectors/interests
• Agreed to advance regional priorities under NROC
Ocean Planning Committee with an expanded
membership
• Identified and communicated regional priorities to
the federal Ocean Policy Committee

5. NROC OceanPlanning Committee
5
• 2019 NROC Ocean Planning Committee Focus
• NortheastOcean DataPortalandregionaldatapriorities
• Best practicesforregulatoryandmanagementdecision-making
• Useofdata
• Earlyconsultationandpre-applicationpractices
• Stakeholderengagement
• Agency andinterjurisdictionalcoordination
• Regionalforumsforemerging/importantissues
• Next Meeting – June 4th at NOAA Fisheries in Gloucester, MA

6. 6www.NortheastOceanData.org
• Sourceofover 4,000map
productsshowing thefootprint
ofactivitiesandresources
• Federal, state,andstakeholder
provideddata
• Customizedtoaddressregional
stakeholderandagencyneeds
• Informedandvetted byregional
stakeholdersandexperts

7. 7www.NortheastOceanData.org
• NE Portal is complementary to and coordinated with other data sources
• Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal
• Marine Cadastre; Ocean Reporting Tool
• NERACOOS
• Data are well documented, including full metadata and brief descriptions
• Products developed to inform planning, management, and early regulatory stages;
acknowledge and support many other potential uses (e.g. fisheries management, academic
research)
• Portal is a tool to support consultation (not a replacement) and could indicate potential areas
for additional inquiry - potential regulatory issues, stakeholders who may need to be
engaged, additional data needs

8. 8
Portal Use

9. Planning and Management
• New England FisheryManagementCouncil(NEFMC)
DeepSeaCoralAmendmentAlternatives
• NEFMC Clam Dredge ExemptionFramework
Alternatives
• USCG waterwaysmanagement,includingdeploying
aidsto navigationand ice breakingassets
• USCG Port AccessRouteStudy(PARS)– Nantucket
Sound
• US Navy identifyareasfortestingunderwater
autonomousvesselsand potentiallyaffected
stakeholders
• NOAA charts
• CT BluePlanforLong IslandSound
• NY GeographicInformationGateway
• NYSERDA OffshoreWindMasterPlan
• BostonHarborBarrierFeasibilityStudy
• MA oil andhazardousmaterialsflowstudy
9
Regulatory and Siting
• NortheastandNY WindEnergy AreaTransitCorridor
Development
• VineyardWindEIS
• SouthForkWindFarm ConstructionandOperations
Plan
• New York Draft WindEnergy Areas
• NEMAC MusselFarm sitedin MassBay – first shellfish
farm in federalwatersonAtlanticCoast
• NERACOOS wave buoysitedin CapeCodBay to
inform marinerstransitingthecanal
• MannaFishFarm AlternativeSiting Analysis
• ProposedAtlanticLink TransmissionCablethroughthe
Gulf of Maine– proposedand alternativeroutesand
permittingprocessdetailsprovidedvia Portal
• StatesusePortalto inform coastaleffectstestand
federalconsistencyunderCZM
• Consultantssupportingpermitting andleasing,and
developingcustom appsforregulatedclients
Regulatory and Siting (continued)
• EPA to reviewother agencyEA andEIS andcomment
onotheragencyactions
• USACEregulatorydivisionpermitting
• NOAA Office of HabitatProtectionandProtected
ResourcesDivisionconsultations
• BOEM Guidelinesfor RenewableEnergyActivities
• Massachusetts Aquaculture Siting Tool – MA-
ShellfAST
Education and Research
• UMass Dartmouth; UMass Boston
• UMaine
• Brown
• Boston University
• URI
• Island Institute
• Pew
• Old Dominion University
Select Uses oftheNortheast Ocean Data Portal