Description   The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) is seeking a full-time Program Manager.  The successful candidate will exhibit the organizational, communication, and technical skills required to support MARCO and enable it to deliver products and services of value to the five member Mid-Atlantic States – New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The Program Manager works on behalf of MARCO and serves at the pleasure of the MARCO Management Board. This is a one-year contractual position with potential for renewal, pending funds.   Background   MARCO is a regional ocean partnership working on shared issues that benefit from interstate collaboration and coordinated problem solving. Established in 2009 by the Governors of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, MARCO has identified four regional priorities for shared action to improve ocean health and contribute to the high quality of life and economic vitality of our region: coordinate the protection of important marine habitats, including sensitive and unique offshore areas; collaborate on a regional approach to support the sustainable development of renewable energy in offshore areas; prepare Mid-Atlantic communities for the impacts of climate change on coastal and ocean resources; and promote improvements in ocean water quality.     Qualifications Education Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in a related field Experience At least three years in a program coordination or management role Primary Purpose, Duties, and Responsibilities The Program Manager will play an integral role in working with the MARCO Management Board and Staff in advancing MARCO’s priorities to address challenges facing the ocean, and engage diverse ocean stakeholders and decision makers in meaningful participation in MARCO’s initiatives. The Program Manager will report directly to MARCO’s Management Board Chair.  The Program Manager will: Participate in Management Board and Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean calls and meetings, and stakeholder meetings and conferences. Manage working groups for ocean acidification, healthy ocean ecosystem indicators, marine debris, and others as they become relevant via conference calls, taking and distributing notes, strategic planning, developing agendas, making meeting packets, assist in securing meeting logistics for work group in-person meetings and travel arrangements (meeting venue, travel, catering, etc.); Interact with stakeholders to solicit feedback, input, and help build MARCO’s relationships; Conduct research and analyses on a variety of ocean science, policy, and planning issues; Assist in preparing reports, grant proposals and budgets, organizing and drafting materials, and tracking and monitoring budgets as appropriate; Maintain relationships with consultants and vendors to help support MARCO’s work, and maintain contact information; Develop organizational systems to track team progress; Maintain and update team calendar and website with basic text updates;  Assist in scoping new projects and programs as appropriate; Perform related work as required.  Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Experienced...

Mid-Atlantic Committee on the Ocean convenes Forum to discuss issues including the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal, offshore wind energy, maritime commerce and navigational safety, non-consumptive ocean recreation, marine debris.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following letter was sent on January 2, 2019, by Elizabeth Semple, Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean...

“In June 2018, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) stated its willingness to keep moving ahead as the Mid-Atlantic’s State-led regional ocean partnership to convene coordination efforts around regional ocean issues.”

“To engage the diverse interests in the region and enhance the vitality of the region’s ocean ecosystem and economy, MARCO will work closely with states, federal agencies, and tribal nations in the region to convene a Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Forum. The Forum will focus on issues of importance to MARCO, state, federal and tribal partners, the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) and other ocean stakeholders.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The following statement was issued by Elizabeth Semple, Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO), in reaction to President Trump’s Executive Order Regarding the Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States   “Since 2009, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) has worked, as a Regional Ocean Partnership, across the five states of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York to enhance the vitality of the region’s ocean ecosystem and economy.”   “Over the past several years, MARCO States have championed major elements of regional ocean planning, including: (1) Coordination and collaboration at a Mid-Atlantic regional scale, (2) Effective engagement with all ocean stakeholders and (3) Public access to best available data and information.”      “MARCO is ready and willing to keep moving ahead as the Mid-Atlantic’s State-led Regional Ocean Partnership to coordinate and collaborate on issues of shared regional concern.  MARCO looks forward to engaging partners across diverse interests to advance shared regional issues of importance to the states, including, but not limited to (1) the collection and analysis of marine life and habitat data including shifts in ocean species distributions, (2) the reduction and prevention of marine debris, (3) the development of indicators to measure ocean health, (4) increased consideration of the importance of non-consumptive recreation, (5) on-going  dialogues on offshore renewable energy, coastal resilience and the beneficial reuse of sand resources, (6) the continued development of a comprehensive ocean acidification monitoring network and research plan , and (7) continued operations, maintenance and updating of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal.”   “Over the past several years, MARCO has cultivated strong and collaborative working relationships with tribal representatives, issue-based experts in federal agencies, regional associations and a wide variety of stakeholders. We look forward to hosting a forum to convene continued discussions of regional importance, on Thursday August 2, 2018 in Richmond, Virginia.  The meeting will be held at the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, 1111 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219.  Additional meeting details will be posted on the MARCO website http://midatlanticocean.org/ when...