California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative Announcement

WHO: Blue Ribbon Task Force

WHAT: Eighth meeting (see draft agenda below)

WHEN: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. and Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 8:30 a.m.

WHERE: Embassy Suites Hotel
101 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903
and via simultaneous webcast on the day of the meeting at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings.asp

California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative
California MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force
Draft Agenda
(revised April 14, 2008)

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 8:30 a.m.

Embassy Suites Hotel *
101 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, California 94903


Members of the public are invited to view or listen to the meeting via simultaneous webcasting on the Internet. For more information please visit the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) website at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings.asp.

Public participation: The public will be invited to offer comments on agenda items throughout the meeting.

?? General comments on the MLPA Initiative and the work of the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force, not directed to specific agenda items, will be taken immediately after lunch on Wednesday, April 22, 2008 at approximately 1:00 p.m. Speaker cards are requested and may be found at the entrance to the room.

?? Public comment on the north central coast marine protected area proposals will be taken at the end of agenda item #6; if necessary, public comment will be taken again at 7:00 p.m. Speaker cards are requested and may be found at the entrance to the room.


Meeting Objectives
?? Receive detailed presentation of and review MLPA North Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group (NCCRSG) marine protected area (MPA) proposals submitted for the MLPA North Central Coast Study Region, including MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team (SAT), California Department of Fish and Game, and MLPA staff analyses and evaluations

?? Identify MPA proposals to forward to the California Fish and Game Commission, including a preferred alternative

?? Identify any other recommendations to forward to the California Fish and Game Commission

?? Receive updates on the activities of the SAT, NCCRSG and MLPA Statewide Interests Group

?? Identify and potentially approve additional staffing and resource needs of the initiative in the current phase and for other MLPA study regions


Meeting Agenda ??? Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Note: the task force and stakeholder group will break for lunch at approximately 12:15 p.m.

Welcome and Introductions
Susan Golding, Chair, MLPA Blue Ribbon Task Force
9:30 a.m.
1. Update on the MLPA Initiative Process and Planning on the North Central Coast
a. Review of the decision-making context for the north central coast process
Ken Wiseman, Executive Director, MLPA Initiative
b. Update on the activities of the MLPA North Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group
Scott McCreary, Ph.D., Co-facilitator, CONCUR, Inc.
c. Update on the activities of the MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team
Dr. Mary Gleason, Principal Planner, MLPA Initiative
d. Update on the activities of the MLPA Statewide Interests Group
Melissa Miller-Henson, Program Manager, MLPA Initiative
2. Summary of Water Quality Issues in the MLPA North Central Coast Study Region
Dominic Gregorio, State Water Resources Control Board and MLPA SAT
3. Overview of MPA Proposals Developed by NCCRSG Work Teams
Dr. Mary Gleason
4. Evaluations of NCCRSG MPA Proposals
a. Staff evaluations of proposals
Dr. Mary Gleason
b. Presentation of size and spacing evaluation
Dr. Steve Gaines, MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team
c. Presentation of habitat representation and replication evaluation
Dr. Mark Carr, MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team
d. Presentation of birds and mammals evaluations
Dr. Sarah Allen, MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team
e. Presentation of commercial and recreational fishing evaluations
Dr. Astrid Scholz, MLPA Master Plan Science Advisory Team
f. Presentation of abalone evaluation
Susan Ashcraft, Marine Protected Areas Supervisor, California Department of Fish and Game
5. California Department of Fish and Game Feasibility Criteria and Analysis
Susan Ashcraft
6. MPA Proposals Developed by Work Teams of the Regional Stakeholder Group
a. Stakeholder presentations of MPA proposals
b. Discussion of MPA proposals among BRTF and NCCRSG members
c. Public comment on the NCCRSG MPA proposals (note that, if necessary, public comment will be taken again at 7:00 p.m. after dinner)
7. Recognition of Members of the North Central Coast Regional Stakeholder Group

Break for dinner

Meeting Agenda - Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Note: The task force will break for lunch at approximately 12:00 noon

Welcome
Susan Golding
8:30 a.m.
8. MLPA North Central Coast Study Region
a. Process considerations for the task force
b. Discussion among BRTF members about NCCRSG MPA proposals and recommendations to the California Fish and Game Commission
c. Identify proposals and recommendations for the north central coast to forward to the California Fish and Game Commission, including a preferred alternative
9. Planning and Resources
Update on MLPA Initiative staffing and budget, and planning for future study regions; potentially approve additional staffing and resource needs for the initiative in the current phase and for completing other MLPA study regions Ken Wiseman
10. MLPA Central Coast Study Region
Update on implementing the central coast MPAs
Susan Ashcraft

Adjourn

* This facility is accessible to persons with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodations for a disability, please contact California Relay Service (at least two days prior to the meeting) at 800.735.2929 (TT) or 800.735.2922 (voice) and ask them to contact the California Marine Life Protection Act Initiative at 916.653.5656.