OCEAN PLANNING

Work Groups & Collaborative Efforts

MARCO and its Mid-Atlantic Ocean Planning Committee collaborate with governmental agencies, tribal nations and many other interested stakeholders through a series of specially focused work groups. The annual work plan and progress reports can be found on each work group’s webpage. Click the name of the work group to learn more about their area of concentration.

• Marine Debris: Reduction and prevention of litter that accumulates in the ocean such as balloons, other plastic items and derelict fishing gear that pose a hazard to marine life and humans.
• Ocean Acidification: The continued development of a comprehensive ocean acidification monitoring network and research plan through the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network
• Ocean Mapping and Data: Continued operations, maintenance and updating of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal, including convening the MARCO Ocean Mapping & Data Team.
• Non-Consumptive Recreation: Increased consideration of the importance of non-consumptive recreation to the regional economy.
• Offshore Wind Regional Collaboration: The OWRC provides a forum for regular inter-agency discussion around offshore wind development in the region and access to data on the Portal, environmental reports, and proposed offshore wind development activities.
• Maritime Commerce and Navigation Safety: Integration of the safe transit of people and goods into regional planning efforts
• Ocean Conservation: Identification of conservation measures and areas of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean that should be prioritized for conservation through community engagement of diverse sectors. Development of a comprehensive understanding of how conservation efforts intersect with changing oceanic conditions such as climate change, shifts in species distribution, and new uses such as aquaculture and wind energy.
• Coastal Carbon Collaborative: Blue carbon stocks in the Mid-Atlantic, marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) research, and and implementation of mCDR technologies.

Additional work groups or other coordination efforts will be established and led by MARCO, federal agencies or other regional ocean partners to address emerging priorities over time, based on available resources. Inquiries to any of these work groups may be directed to info@midatlanticocean.org.