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Marine Protected Areas
CONNECTIONS
Your news from the National Marine Protected Areas Center
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| Lighthouse in Santa Cruz Harbor, Wenzel/NOAA |
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Gallery
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Sunken German U-701 off the Coast of
North Carolina, S. Sellers
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First Stewards Symposium,
NOAA ONMS
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Hawaii Tourism Authority
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NOAA has appointed 10 new members to the MPA Federal Advisory Committee (MPA FAC). The Committee advises both NOAA and the
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MPA Federal Advisory Committee, NOAA
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Department of the Interior on ways to strengthen and connect the nation's MPAs
and MPA programs. It is made up of 20 representatives of diverse stakeholder perspectives. The new members join 10 continuing members, and meet virtually and in person. For details on the new members, and updates on upcoming meetings, visit us online.
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Marine Protected Areas Center Launches Cultural Resources Toolkit for MPA Managers
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The MPA Center has launched a draft online Cultural Resources Toolkit for MPA managers. Developed by the Cultural Heritage Resources Workgroup of the MPA Federal Advisory Committee, the Toolkit aims to provide easily accessible information on cultural resources - such as shipwrecks, archaeological sites and sites important to indigenous people - to MPA managers and staff who may not have expertise in this area. The toolkit covers: - A Cultural Landscape Approach
- Integrating cultural resource management into MPA management
- Community and stakeholder engagement, outreach and communication
- Research, data, monitoring and evaluation
- Tribal and indigenous people
- Intellectual property and sensitive information
- Risk assessment and underwater archaeology
We welcome comments and new content for this evolving resource.
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NOAA has accepted the State of Hawaii's nomination of the Heeia Estuary for possible inclusion in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. The state nomination package submitted by the Governor of Hawaii was reviewed and found to meet all NOAA requirements for this phase of the designation process. The Heeia Estuary is located in Kaneohe Bay on the northeastern, or windward, shore of the island of Oahu. The estuary includes many unique natural and cultural resources that,
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Heeia Estuary in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu NOAA
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if designated, will be preserved for current and future generations to enjoy. The site also would become an area for local ecosystem-based research, providing data and information for local governments, community leaders, national leaders, schoolchildren, and interested residents, and fostering stewardship of coastal resources.
NOAA is working in partnership with the State of Hawai'i Office of Planning, Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawai'i - Manoa and other partners to conduct an environmental analysis of the site and draft the reserve management plan. Designation of the site could be realized by 2016.
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This winter's MPA Center Webinar Series will include presentations on the status and trends of of coral reefs and outcomes from the November World Parks Congress. This virtual series is held the second Thursday of each month from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Eastern.
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Jeremy Jackson, Ph.D.
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December 11th
January 8th
Lauren Wenzel, MPA Center acting Director, and Dan Laffoley, Marine Vice Chair for IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas, will present on coastal and marine recommendations and next steps from November's landmark global forum on world parks.
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Giant Clams, Kingman Reef
E. Johnson/NOAA
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At the World Parks Congress last month, contributors unveiled a special issue of the journal Aquatic Conservation with papers published from work presented at the third International MPA Conference in Marseilles in October 2013. The journal features articles analyzing the latest global MPA coverage, lessons from managing very large MPAs, opportunities for MPAs in the high seas, marine world heritage, MPA governance, MPAs and fisheries, and more.
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NOAA National Marine Protected Areas Center
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