Posted by DFG on January 06, 2005 at 11:37:32:
California Department of Fish and Game
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jan. 6, 2005 05:001
Contact: Mike Wintemute, Deputy Director for Communications, (916) 651-6443
Marine Life Protection Act Science Advisory Team Members Announced;
First Meeting Scheduled Friday in Oakland
OAKLAND - A panel of scientific advisors selected to assist in developing a network of marine protected areas along the California coast will hold its first meeting Friday, Jan. 7, in Oakland. The Science Advisory Team (SAT), appointed by California Department of Fish and Game Director Ryan Broddrick, will provide scientific support for the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Initiative.
WHO: Marine Life Protection Act Science Advisory Team members
WHAT: Hold first meeting to introduce members and address the public
WHEN:
Friday, Jan. 7, 2005
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE:
Elihu Harris State Building
1515 Clay St., Room 11
Oakland, CA
The network of marine protected areas required by the MLPA will be based on sound science, said Director Broddrick. The science advisory teams expertise and independence helps assure that the final master plan for marine protected areas is both reasonable and effective.
Members of the SAT are charged with assisting the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force in developing a framework for the design and implementation of a network of marine protected areas. Specifically, members will review and comment on scientific papers, review draft documents, and address scientific issues presented in those documents.
Ocean protection is a complex issue with various sources of scientific information that do not always speak the same language or come to the same conclusions, said Phil Isenberg, chair of the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force. State law requires that the best available science be
used and we will be relying upon the science team to help us do that.
The Marine Life Protection Act directs the DFG to design and manage a network of marine protected areas to protect marine life and habitats, marine ecosystems, and marine natural heritage, and to improve recreational, educational and research opportunities provided by marine ecosystems.
The California Fish and Game Commission, based on the recommendations of the DFG, with the assistance and advice of the Science Advisory Team and Blue Ribbon Task Force, will be asked to adopt networks of marine protected areas along the California coast between 2006 and 2011.
Members of the Science Advisory Team are:
Dr. Loo Botsford - University of California, Davis
Dr. Mark Carr - University of California, Santa Cruz
Dr. Steve Gaines - University of California, Santa Barbara
Dr. Doyle Hanan - Hanan and Associates, Rancho Santa Fe
Dr. Rikk Kvitek - California State University Monterey Bay
Dr. Steven Murray - California State University, Fullerton
Dr. Mark Ohman - Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla
Dr. Jeff Paduan - Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey
Dr. Steven Palumbi - Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Monterey
Dr. Linwood Pendelton - University of California, Los Angeles
Dr. Laura Rogers-Bennett - California Department of Fish and Game
Mr. Dave Schaub - California Department of Parks and Recreation
Mr. Kenneth Schiff - Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Westminster
Dr. Astrid Scholz - Ecotrust, Portland, OR
Dr. Rick Starr - UC Sea Grant Extension Program, Moss Landing
Dr. William Sydeman - Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Stinson Beach
Dr. Dean Wendt - California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo
Ms. Mary Yoklavich - NOAA Fisheries, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz
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