Working Waterfronts & Waterways Symposium
May 25-28, 2013, Tacoma, Washington
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The 2013 National Working Waterfronts &
Waterways Symposium was a success!
Thank you to all who attended!
Request For Proposals

The West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health (WCGA) Executive Committee seeks the services of a Project Coordinator to provide project management, strategic planning services, and administrative support for the WCGA. This is a full-time (40 hours/week) position for at least 42 weeks (dependent upon the proposed salary of the chosen candidate). Eligible candidates residing within California, Oregon, Washington or planning to reside within these states by the beginning of the contract (May 2013) are encouraged to apply.

 

[Update] The application period has closed, 

we are evaluating application and will contacting candidates shortly.

 
WCGA Accomplishments


Check out the executive summary of the WCGA biennial report for accomplishments.
 

WCGA UpdatesSign Me Up!


Please send me updates about the WCGA by clicking here.

 

Recent WCGA Action Coordination Team Accomplishments

The Regional Data Framework ACT has released its final work plan. 


The Ocean Awareness and Literacy ACT has updated its work plan.

The Integrated Ecosystem Assessment ACT has finalized its work plan.
 

WCGA Sea Grant Fellows Blog

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Join the four WCGA Sea Grant Fellows in a dialogue about managing West Coast coastal and marine resources. Join the conversation at http://westcoastoceans.wordpress.com

 

Latest Blogs:

Website last updated March 4, 2013.

 

West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health  


Welcome from the Governors of California, Oregon, and Washington

 

The three governors

   
California Governor Edmund G Brown Jr. (left), Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber (center), and Washington Governor Christine Gregoire (right) participate in the West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health to address critical ocean and coastal protection management issues facing all three states.

Our oceans are home to a great diversity of marine life and clean beaches, and oceans are vital to West Coast fishing communities, recreation and tourism. We know that isolated local efforts cannot adequately address the breadth of degradation to our oceans. By cooperating, our three states will combine our resources and influence to make a real difference in the fight to clean and protect the oceans. 
- Governor Gregoire
 

Oceans in the News

West Coast

  •  West Coast Entities Sign Agreement To Advance Ocean And Coastal Health Issues - The West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health (WCGA) and the West Coast Coastal and Ocean Observing Systems (OOS) signed a two-year agreement in October of 2012 to advance effective management of coastal and ocean resources for the benefit of current and future generations, with a specific focus on using ocean observing systems to help address harmful algal blooms and ocean acidification as well as advancing surface current mapping and a regional data framework. Click here to read the announcement and the full MOU.
  • West Coast Ecosystem-Based Network Completes New Three-Year Strategic Plan—The West Coast Ecosystem-based Management Network’s (West Coast EBM Network) three-year Strategic Business Plan will guide the Network’s program from July 2012–July 2015. In addition, the West Coast EBM Network Strategic Business Plan is intended to be a “living” document that is updated and adapted annually to best achieve the Network’s goals in the West Coast region and beyond (more).

California

  • California Fish and Game Commission completes network of marine protected areas in California’s open coastal waters—A major milestone was reached June 7, 2012, in the effort to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) along California's coast. The California Fish and Game Commission approved and adopted regulations for the north coast MPAs, completing the network of MPAs in California's open coastal waters, from Mexico to the Oregon state line. The network of MPAs is the first in the United States to be designed from the ground up as a science-based network, rather than a patchwork of independent protected areas without specific goals and objectives (more).

Oregon

  • Oregon's adopts marine spatial plan for ocean renewable energy -- Oregon's Land Conservation and Development Commission approved the marine spatial plan, which will allow for future siting of marine renewable energy development projects. With the LCDC's decision, Oregon's Territorial Sea Plan now guides the siting of wave energy and other forms of marine renewable energy to areas that pose the least conflict with existing ocean uses and natural resources. The Territorial Sea Plan amendment adopted by LCDC identifies four "Renewable Energy Suitability Study Areas" where initial development of wave energy will be encouraged. When specific projects are proposed, developers will have to show that they will meet standards for protecting ecological resources, fishing and other existing uses, and coastal views. Marine renewable energy developers can also seek approval for projects in other areas off Oregon’s coast, but will have to meet more stringent standards (more).
  • Workshop on sea-level hazards, including sea-level rise, storm surges and tsunamis: What's the Risk, and What can we do? Local elected officials, local planning officials, local public works and emergency management officials; local planning commission members; interested members of the public; state agency staff; other interested parties are invited to a series of workshops on the West Coast to explore how information about natural hazards related to sea levels might affect coastal communities. The workshops will present the findings of a recent study about sea level rise along the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. They are intended to foster discussion about what the findings mean; how they can be used; what communities can do; and what tools, additional information, or other resources communities may need to be able to respond to information about sea level hazards (more).

Washington 

  • Washington Sea Grant announces their 2013 Request for Proposals---Washington Sea Grant (WSG) requests proposals for one- to two-year research projects from investigators at academic and research institutions throughout the state of Washington. Approximately $2.4 million will be available during the two-year funding cycle (February 1, 2014 - January 31, 2016) to support an estimated 10-15 projects selected through an open, competitive, peer-reviewed process. Proposed projects must align with the WSG strategic plan and meet the criteria detailed in the 2013 Request for Proposals document.