Protecting Ocean Resources
In 2010, Massachusetts made history when it became the first state in the country to release a comprehensive ocean plan for its marine resources. The plan charts a course that weighs the protection of vulnerable habitats with responsible development, including offshore wind.
CLF in Action
A study by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management estimates the annual output of the state’s marine economy at $14.8 billion a year. That means there’s a lot at stake as we make decisions about how to manage our ocean resources now and in the future.
The Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan takes the lessons from decades of land-use planning and puts them to work for our ocean – striking a balance between safeguarding fragile marine areas and moving forward responsible ocean uses. The plan protects special places and ocean wildlife – about two thirds of the state’s waters are protected in some way – while also establishing a framework for tapping into the state’s rich renewable wind energy resources.
CLF played an active role on the stakeholder team that helped to developed the historic Ocean Plan, pushing for protection of fragile areas, supporting science-based decision making, and ensuring sustainable development of clean energy.
Creating the Plan
Spurred by the growing demands on ocean resources for energy, transportation, food, and recreation, the Massachusetts Ocean Plan was created to ensure the protection of the state’s sensitive ocean areas while also encouraging responsible ocean development, including renewable energy, in state ocean waters.
The plan’s development included three key phases: information and data gathering; draft plan development; and formal public review of the draft plan before it was finalized. Extensive public outreach was done during each phase of the process. Public listening sessions and workshops were held across the state, and more than 300 public comments were filed regarding the draft plan. In addition, the plan’s developers held hundreds of meetings with diverse stakeholders, including marine pilots, fishermen, energy developers, non-governmental organizations, and academia.
The result? The nation’s first comprehensive ocean management plan, which protects important wildlife and habitat, identifies potential offshore wind energy areas, and promotes sustainable use of state ocean waters.
