Ocean Management

The Commonwealth's interests extend beyond the reaches of the coastal zone, through the bays that surround our shores, and into the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. These ocean areas provide us with vast economic opportunities, through the fishing and shipping industries, as well as diverse recreational possibilities. Unlike the coastal zone, however, no one lead agency is charged with managing the many ocean resources and activities in Massachusetts—and, as with coastal zone management, no one agency can fully address the complex issues involved.

The Massachusetts Ocean Management Initiative was the state's first step in examining evolving ocean uses and developing a comprehensive approach to managing ocean resources. Through this initiative, the Massachusetts Ocean Management Task Force was launched in 2003 and charged with developing recommendations, which were released in the 2004 Waves of Change report. This effort developed the foundation for ongoing mapping and planning activities and led to the passage of the Oceans Act of 2008, which was signed by Governor Deval Patrick on May 28, 2008. The Act required Massachusetts to develop a first-in-the-nation comprehensive plan to manage development in state waters. The Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan was released on December 31, 2009. See the EEA Massachusetts Ocean Plan website for details.

To further support ocean management, CZM sponsored the development of aerial orthophotographs of coastal Massachusetts and has developed the Massachusetts Ocean Resource Information System (MORIS) and Dredged Material Management Plan (DMMP) Technical Reports. MORIS is an online mapping tool that allows users to search and display spatial data pertaining to the Massachusetts coastal zone, create and share maps, and download the actual data for use in a Geographic Information System (GIS). The DMMP Technical Reports characterize the environmental and economic issues surrounding dredged material management in the Commonwealth, providing information on marine resources (sediment type and quality, seafloor habitat, fisheries, and archaeology) and the impacts associated with dredging and dredged material disposal.