Welcome to CZ-Mail, the monthly email update from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). This update provides information on major CZM initiatives, available tools and publications, upcoming workshops and events, grants, contracting opportunities, job openings, coastal legislation, and other news of interest to people working on coastal issues. More information about CZM's programs, publications, and other coastal topics can be found online at http://www.mass.gov/czm/. If you have suggestions on how to make CZ-Mail more useful, would like to add your name to the mailing list, or would like to have your name removed, please email your request to CZ-Mail@state.ma.us.

Ocean Management
Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has sent a letter to Admiral Watkins, Chair of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, with comments on the commission's draft report. For more information on the Massachusetts Ocean Management Task Force and a PDF version of the Governor's letter, click here.

CZM Announces 2004 Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Recipients
CZM is pleased to announce funding, through the 2004 Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Grant Program, for 11 projects to assess and reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution in the Commonwealth's coastal watersheds. Projects include NPS pollution assessments, nitrogen load characterizations, design of best management practices (BMP), capacity-building projects, development of a model stormwater bylaw, and much more. Recipients are:

• Rockport ($22,845): assessment and BMP design
• Massachusetts Audubon Society ($9,015): capacity building
• Martha's Vineyard Commission ($10,869): assessment
• Duxbury, Marshfield, and Plymouth ($34,920): capacity building
• Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources ($32,600): capacity building
• Barnstable ($37,150): assessment
• Sandwich ($16,778): BMP design
• Marion ($6,800): assessment
• Salem ($16,050): assessment
• Salem ($23,100): assessment
• Salem Sound Coastwatch ($16,250): assessment

New CZM Wetlands Restoration Program Website
CZM's Wetlands Restoration Program (WRP) has launched its new website. The new WRP website provides in-depth coverage and hundreds of images of wetland restoration activities in the Commonwealth, including interactive maps, pictures, and summary descriptions of more than 70 active and completed restoration projects. Maps and summaries for all wetlands restoration plans and coastal tidal restriction atlases are provided, as well as an extensive list of links to federal, state, and non-profit restoration resources.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security to Utilize NOAA Weather Radio
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Weather Radio, an all-hazard network broadcasting warnings and information for weather, natural, technological, and environmental disasters, will now also provide an additional communications delivery mechanism for the Department of Homeland Security. For more information about the system's all-hazards messages, go to the National Weather Service website. For general information about Weather Radio, click here.

Northeastern United States Fisheries Haddock Notice
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Region is eliminating the daily and maximum haddock trip limits for the groundfish fishery specified at 50 CFR 648.86(a) for the remainder of the 2004 fishing year, through April 30, 2005. There is no trip limit on the amount of haddock that can be harvested or landed for vessels subject to these regulations. For a summary of the notice, go to the Federal Register and type in "26509" under Quick Search.

Watch Out for Aquatic Invasive Stow-Aways
Aquatic invasive species can easily be transported between water bodies by boats, motors, trailers, fishing equipment, bait buckets, diving gear, and other aquatic recreational equipment. So watch out this summer and check what may be attached to your gear. Aquatic invasives can choke waterways through explosive growth and possibly harm native fish, plants, and insects, and they are nearly impossible to eradicate once they are established. Be sure to hand-remove all plant and animal material from equipment, dispose of it far away from the water, and wash and dry equipment before the next use. For more tips, and publications such as A Guide to Aquatic Invasive Species, go to the Lakes and Ponds publications page.

Cape Cod ORV Corridor Temporarily Reduced
The Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) corridor has been temporarily reduced to .25 miles at Provincetown/Race Point north and south, with access to the Self-Contained Vehicle camping area. Park management staff is monitoring Piping Plover chick development daily and opening and closing areas as new chicks hatch and older chicks fledge. The Piping Plover and other shorebirds are protected under the federal and Massachusetts Endangered Species acts. For more information on Race Point, click here. For up-to-date information on the latest Cape Cod ORV route openings, call the ORV information line at (508) 487-3698.

Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GOMMI) Survey
If you are involved with marine issues in the Gulf of Maine, GOMMI wants your input. GOMMI, mapping the Gulf's sea floor from the intertidal zone to the upper continental slope, is conducting a survey to ascertain what areas are most interesting and important to you and your co-workers or constituents. The survey will take 10 minutes to complete.

Prepare for Hurricane Season
Each year the National Weather Service studies hurricane patterns and makes predictions. NOAA reports that the East and Gulf coasts should expect a busy hurricane season (see NOAA News and this National Geographic article). Whatever the outcome of the 2004 season, be prepared with CZM's hurricane preparedness kit.

Funding Opportunities
CZM CNPS 2005 Funding Informational Meetings - CZM has begun planning for the 2005 Coastal Nonpoint Source (CNPS) grant program, funded by NOAA through annual congressional appropriations for the National Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program. The 2005 CNPS program will kick-off with two preliminary informational meetings on Tuesday, July 13, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Plymouth Town Library, Otto Fehlow Meeting Room, 132 South Street, Plymouth and on Thursday, July 15, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Beverly Public Library, Library Program Room, 32 Essex Street, Beverly. Potential request for responses (RFR) respondents are strongly encouraged to attend and discuss proposed projects with the CZM grant coordinator and ask questions prior to the issuance of the 2005 RFR, expected in late August or early September. CZM can only offer general information to respondents after the RFR is posted. For more information about the meetings or the CNPS grants program, please go to CZM's Jobs and Grants webpage.

Coastal Response Research Center Seeks Proposals - The NOAA Office of Response and Restoration and the University of New Hampshire have established the Coastal Response Research Center (CRRC) to foster development, through research, of new approaches to spill response and restoration in marine and estuarine environments. CRRC is currently accepting preliminary proposals for project funding consideration. Areas of interest include recovery of natural resources, injury to natural resources, communication/gaming, communication/performance metrics, and more. Preliminary proposals are due July 9 and full proposals are due September 10. The request for proposals has been posted. For more information about CRRC, click here.

Reminders - The following grant listed in the last CZ-Mail is still available:

• Availability of Beach Grant Funding - Proposals for beach monitoring and notification programs for meeting new Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act of 2000 requirements in eligible coastal states, territories, and tribes should be submitted on or before September 1. Eligible tribes should notify the relevant regional BEACH Act grant coordinator and apply on or before August 2. The funding is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Beaches Plan, intended to accelerate federal and state progress in meeting BEACH Act of 2000 requirements. For more information, go to EPA's beaches website.

Public Comment
NOAA Right Whale Collision Avoidance Strategy Proposed - NOAA's NMFS has released an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking for a comprehensive strategy to reduce collisions between ocean vessels and the East Coast's endangered North Atlantic right whale. Public comments will be accepted until August 2 and NMFS will hold a public meeting to discuss the strategy, which accounts for vessel traffic patterns, ocean conditions, and right whale behavior during times and in areas where collision risk is high. Comments can be sent to: Chief, Marine Mammal Conservation, Right Whale Ship Strike Strategy, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910; via fax to (301) 427-2522, Attn: Right Whale Ship Strike Strategy; via email to shipstrike.comments@noaa.gov; or through the Federal eRulemaking portal. For more information about right whales and ship strikes, go to the NMFS document on right whale ship strikes and NOAA News.

NOAA Deep-Sea Coral Rulemaking - NOAA is accepting comments until August 13 on an Oceana petition to develop a rule for deep-sea coral and sponge habitat protection. Oceana's petition seeks increased mapping of deep-sea coral and sponge habitat areas, increased habitat protection, additional closed areas and increased enforcement and penalties, enhanced monitoring, and increased research and protection funding. For the notice, go to the Federal Register, and enter "32991" in Quick Search. For more information about Oceana's petition, click here.

Reminders - The following public comment period listed in the last CZ-Mail is still open:

• Coast Guard Seeks Comments on Amended Anchorage Regulations - The U.S. Coast Guard is proposing amendments to the anchorage regulations for Buzzards Bay, Nantucket Sound, and adjacent waters by relocating anchorage ground "L" in Buzzards Bay to an area near Naushon Island. Comments will be accepted through July 15. For the notice of the proposed amendment, along with details on how to comment, go to the Federal Register and enter "20568" in Quick Search.

Products/Publications
NOAA Releases 2003 Status of Fisheries Report - NOAA's newly released fisheries status report details the successes and challenges of its management of the nation's fisheries in 2003. Produced annually, the report discusses fish stocks that are overfished and in need of rebuilding, those where overfishing is occurring, and those that have been rebuilt. Click here for the report.

Reminders - The following products listed in the last CZ-Mail are still available:

• Gloucester Harbor Characterization Report - Gloucester Harbor Characterization Report: Environmental History, Human Influences, and Status of Marine Resources describes human and natural resources, discusses the environmental history of development and human influences, characterizes current understanding of environmental quality, examines lobster fishing and lobster population structure, investigates fish community structure, and describes seafloor habitat in Gloucester Harbor. For PDF copies of the report, click here.
• Boaters' Guide to Tides and Pumpout Facilities - To get the wallet-sized 2004 guide complete with pumpout information and a tide chart and printed on water-proof paper, email your request and mailing address to czm@state.ma.us. Supplies are limited. For an electronic copy, click here.

Job Postings
Executive Director of Coastal Zones Research Institute Inc. (CZRI) - CZRI, a new institute of the Université de Moncton with three research centres located in the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick, is seeking an executive director with competency in both English and French. Applications will be reviewed on July 9. CZRI undertakes research and development related to aquaculture, fisheries, marine products, and peat bogs. For more information, click here.

Websites
Cape Cod Environmental Education Network (CCEEN) - Interested in finding out what environmental organizations are active on Cape Cod? CCEEN is your portal. Go to the CCEEN website, and search by clicking on any town on the Cape Cod map located on the lower left-hand side of the page. Click on an organization for more information.

NOAA Launches National Estuaries Restoration Inventory Website - Designed to track Estuary Restoration Act of 2000 initiatives, this online tool, called the NOAA restoration portal website, features restoration projects implemented around the country. NOAA would like to encourage project managers to use the website to track their projects, find new partnership opportunities, and locate other regional restoration efforts.

SmartGrowth - To learn more about SmartGrowth, the Office of Commonwealth Development's sustainable development initiative integrating energy, environmental, housing, and transportation policies and regulations, click here.

Calendar
Annual National Fisheries Conference Cancelled - NOAA's NMFS will cancel the 2nd Annual National Fisheries Conference scheduled for October 2004 in Washington, DC to better allocate its resources for the annual International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), which will be hosted for the first time in the United States November 15-21 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

RARGOM Modeling Theme Session - The Regional Association for Research on the Gulf of Maine (RARGOM) is holding a theme session on integrated, multidisciplinary modeling on Thursday, July 15 at the University of Massachusetts Boston Campus Center. The session, a one-day workshop devoted to developments in integrated, multidisciplinary modeling as they apply to the understanding and stewardship of the Gulf of Maine, is open to all members of the Gulf of Maine community. Brief oral or poster presentations are welcome and are being solicited. Click here for more information about the theme session and registration.

Gloucester Seaport Festival - The Fourth Annual Gloucester Seaport Festival will be held at Harbor Loop in Gloucester on July 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This family-oriented festival celebrates Gloucester's heritage and the history and cultural diversity of Cape Ann by featuring wooden boat construction, marine environmental issues, local arts & crafts, and children's activities. The festival is sponsored by Schooner Adventure, a non-profit organization formed to preserve the ship Adventure as a historical monument to Gloucester and a memorial to Gloucester fishermen lost at sea. For more on the festival and Adventure, click here. If you would like to exhibit environmental educational information at the festival, please contact Joanne Souza at Gloucester Adventure, Inc. at (978) 281-8079 or at jsouza@schooner-adventure.org.

Learn About Restoring Fish Passage at Willowdale Mill - The Essex County Greenbelt Association will host a guided walk through Willowdale Mill in Hamilton on Sunday, July 25 at 1:00 p.m. Explore this historic property and learn about the Greenbelt's efforts to restore fish passage in a dam. The Greenbelt's website has more information and directions.

Waquoit Bay Summer Activity Calendar - The Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve has posted its calendar of summer activities, which includes family discovery programs, guided walks on South Cape Beach and Washburn Island, children's activities, and more. For more information and a schedule of events, click here.

New England Aquarium Events - The New England Aquarium offers children's camp and family events all summer long. More information is available on the Aquarium's online calendar.

Coastal Environments of Martha's Vineyard Course - Boston University's Explorations in Learning Program, open to all, is offering a two-week course, from August 8 through 21, about Martha's Vineyard coastal environments. The course will focus on the Vineyard's glacial past and the evolution of its shoreline and will be highlighted by field visits to Gay Head Cliffs, Squibnocket shell middens, Chappaquiddick dune fields, South Beach salt ponds, and other parts of the island. For more information about the course and a syllabus, click here.

2nd National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration - Restore America's Estuaries is holding its second national conference, titled Weaving Restoration into the Tapestry of Coastal Life, at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center and the Grand Hyatt Seattle in Seattle, Washington, from September 12-15. The conference is open to practitioners, scientists, community leaders, project managers, and others. Discover how to access project funding and learn about the latest products, tools, and services. To register, click here, or go to the online conference page for more information.

Registration for Gulf of Maine Summit Open - The summit, Committing to Change, will be held October 26-29 at the Fairmont Algonquin Hotel in St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Interested citizens, businesses, and other Gulf of Maine organizations may register online. Save $50 if you register by August 15. The summit will focus on current environmental conditions and trends. Participants will develop a consensus of environmental quality indicators, design an action plan, and build partnerships to move forward. The summit website has an agenda and other conference information. The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (website) and Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine are sponsoring the summit.

Reminders: The following calendar item posted in the last CZ-Mail is still to come:

• Boston Harbor Educators Conference - The Boston Harbor Educators Conference, Boston Harbor: Stewardship of an Ever-Changing Resource, will be held on Saturday, October 2, at the University of Massachusetts Boston. For more information contact Peg Collins at ccndpcllns@aol.com. For a list of conference sponsors, click here.
• Massachusetts Coastal Training Program - The program maintains a calendar of workshops and other training events for coastal decision makers and others interested in managing the coastal zone. For more information, click here.

Other Items of Interest
SHADE Receives EPA Helios Award - As part of its SunWise Program, EPA honored the Shade Foundation of America (SHADE) with a 2004 Helios award for its efforts to protect children and teach and promote sun-safe behaviors that prevent skin cancer, cataracts, and other adverse health effects caused by overexposure to the sun. For more information about SHADE, melanoma and other skin cancers, and tips on protection from the sun, click here. For more information on EPA's SunWise Program, click here.

Whale-Free Buoy Wins U.S. Patent, MIT Seeking Manufacturer - This new whale-free buoy, inspired by the bell shaped trombone, uses tapered flexible stems made of polyurethane rubber that attach to the bottom of conventional buoys. The wider base shows a remarkable ability to be shed by objects that would normally snag a line, such as a whale's pectoral fin or mouth, keels and towlines, and more. MIT is seeking a manufacturer for the whale-free buoy. For more information, contact the buoy's designer, Cliff Goudey, at cgoudey@mit.edu or Steve Brown at sfbrown@mit.edu.

A publication of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award No. NA03NOS4190087. This publication is funded (in part) by a grant/cooperative agreement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The views expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies.