Healthy coastal and marine habitats generate over two million jobs and over $250 billion annually, but are being lost and degraded at a rapid rate. This day-long two part symposium will provide AFS participants with an overview of the NOAA Habitat Blueprint--a new initiative to address this challenge--and the opportunity to participate in initial scoping of a specific topic under the Blueprint.  

Part I will provide an overview of NOAA’s Blueprint, a new, forward-looking framework for NOAA to think and act strategically across programs and with partner organizations (including many AFS members) to more effectively protect and improve habitat conditions for fisheries, coastal and marine life, and coastal communities.  The Blueprint is comprised of four key approaches: implementing regional habitat initiatives; establishing geographic priorities; implementing a systematic and strategic approach to habitat science; and strengthening policy and legislation.  Presentations and panel discussions will focus on specific activities underway supporting these approaches, and will seek to build linkages for future collaboration and highlight opportunities for symposium attendees to engage in both regional and national-scale efforts under the Blueprint.

Part II of this symposium will allow AFS participants to participate in scoping approaches for more effectively applying existing habitat conservation authorities to achieve sustainable fishery outcomes.  Management approaches under the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act have largely focused on controlling fishing effort and mortality to achieve a stock objective.  This focus has been necessary and a major achievement for NOAA Fisheries and fishermen.  However some stocks may not respond well to these types of controls in part due to their dependence on healthy habitats.  Presentations will focus on: 1) impediments to applying existing habitat conservation authorities to achieve fisheries goals; 2) options for developing habitat conservation objectives for fisheries managers; and 3) gathering recommendations for implementing such objectives.