8-9 a.m.: Registration and Continental Breakfast
9-9:15: Welcome, Introductions and Purpose
• Dr. Michael Crosby (Mote) and Dr. Billy Causey (National Marine Sanctuary)
9:15-9:30: Charge to the Group; Forum Goals
• Moderators Dr. Kim Ritchie and Dr. Steve Gittings
9:30-10: Update on the Gulf of Mexico Restoration Task Force
• John Hankinson, Executive Director. PDF of presentation.
10-10:15: Break
10:15-10:45: Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) Process
• M.E. Rolle, Attorney Advisor, NOAA GC. PDF of presentation.
10:45-Noon: An overview of Ocean Governance in the Gulf of Mexico (15 min. each)
• Overview of International Governance: Dr. Richard McLaughlin, Harte Research Institute.
• NOAA NMFS Authority: Dr. Roy Crabtree (NMFS).
• NOAA ONMS Authority: Dr. George Sedberry, Superintendent, GRNMS.
• State of Florida: Gil McRae, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI).
Noon-1 Lunch at Mote Marine Laboratory
1-2:15: Special Features and Diversity in the Gulf of Mexico — Panel (10-minute summaries highlighting biodiversity, biogeography, habitat diversity and connectivity)
• Dr. Tom Shirley (HRI): Shallow banks and hard bottoms. PDF of presentation.
• Dr. Amanda Demopoulos (USGS benthic ecologist): Deep corals and chemosynthetic communities (oil and gas seeps, brine pools, hydrates). (PDF of presentation not available.)
• Dr. Bonnie Ponwith (NMFS): Fisheries. PDF of presentation.
• Dr. Robert Hueter (Mote): Aggregation areas. PDF of presentation.
2:15-3: Perspectives and Visions for Protection of the Gulf of Mexico (10 min. each)
• George Schmahl: FGBNMS — Management Plan Revision. PDF of presentation.
• Larry McKinney: Future of the Gulf — HRI and FGBNMS SAC Perspective. PDF of presentation.
• Clint Moore: FGBNMS SAC Boundary Expansion Committee Chairman. PDF of presentation.
3-3:30: Integrating the National Ocean Policy, Coastal Marine Spatial Planning and Connectivity
• Dr. John Ogden (USF). PDF of presentation.
3:30-3:45: Break
3:45-4:30: International Place-Based Protection Strategies and Partnerships (10 min. each)
• Mexico: Dr. Porfirio Alvarez. PDF of presentation.
• Belize: Dr. Melanie McField, Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, Smithsonian Institution. PDF of presentation.
• Cuba: Dr. John (Wes) Tunnell (HRI). PDF of presentation.
4:30-5:30: Understanding the Uses and Economies of the Gulf of Mexico — Panel (10 min. each)
• Economies of the Gulf of Mexico: Dr. David W. Yoskowitz (HRI). PDF of presentation.
• Oil and gas: Dr. Andy Radford, Senior Policy Advisor, API. PDF of presentation.
• Oil and gas: Clint Moore, Oil and gas representative to the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) SAC. PDF of presentation.
• Commercial and recreational fishing: Dr. Steve Bortone, Executive Director (Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council). PDF of presentation.
• Recreational Diving: Capt. Frank Wasson, Gulf and Caribbean Dive Charters. (PDF of presentation not available.)
5:30-6: Summary of the Day
6-7: Reception at Mote Marine Laboratory
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8-8:30: Coffee and Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45: Recap from Thursday — Wes Tunnell
9:15-10: The Case for Connectivity in the Northern Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico (15 min. each)
• Inia Soto and Digna Rueda, USF College of Marine Science: Connectivity within the region. PDF of presentation.
• Ryan Young : Connections between existing Marine Protected Areas. PDF of presentation.
10-10:15: Break
10:15-11:15: Other relevant ongoing activities (15 min. each)
• Sportfishing Conservation Alliance — Tom Raftican, Recreational Angler. PDF of presentation.
• Marine Protected Areas Center — Lauren Wenzel, NOAA. PDF of presentation.
• GOM Alliance & Gulf CMSP — Cathy Tortorici, NOAA. PDF of presentation.
• Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) — Dr. Barbara Kirkpatrick (Mote). PDF of presentation.
11:15-Noon: Charge to Discussion Groups & Breakout into four discussion groups
• Discussion groups will identify additional information and gaps in the topics presented.
- Overview of the governance in the Gulf — What else do we need to consider. (Barbara Lausche, Mote, Facilitator).
- Special features and diversity in the Gulf of Mexico — Gaps? (Dr. Jyotika Virmani, FIO, facilitator).
- Understanding the uses and economics of the Gulf of Mexico — Gaps? (David Yoskowitz, HRI, facilitator).
- Perspectives and visions for the protections of the Gulf (Vicki Nichols Goldstein, founder Colorado Ocean, facilitator).
Groups addressed the following:
• Group 1: What gaps in governance in the Gulf have you identified? How do we improve Gulf governance? Make recommendations for the future.
• Group 2: What other areas/features need to be noted? What areas/features do you feel deserve special consideration for ecosystem-level protection? What characteristics warrant their consideration? Make recommendations for the future.
• Group 3: What else do we need to know about the economic importance of the Gulf? And what do we need to know about the uses of Gulf waters and social-economic aspects? Make recommendations for the future. PDF of discussion results.
• Group 4: Are these areas currently protected adequately? If not, what is lacking? What options exist to improve protection for these areas? Make recommendations for the future. PDF of discussion results.
Noon-1: Lunch at Mote
1-3: Group discussions continue
3-3:15: Break
3:15-3:45: Report out from discussion groups
3:45-4:15: Discussion: Next Steps — How can a Gulf MPA Network be designated?
• Process
• Merits
• Challenges
4:15-4:30: Next Steps
4-4:30: Summary and Synthesis
• Dr. John Ogden: The path forward
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