Thank you to everyone who attended our webinar on May 28. We appreciate all the questions you had for the presenters and the feedback you provided on potential ocean planning priorities for NROC. We will be posting a summary of the meeting, including responses to questions here in the next couple of weeks. We’re also working on our next opportunity for a webinar and discussion about regional ocean planning issues. In the interim, we have the following announcements about the Northeast Ocean Data Portal and a few timely ocean planning-related announcements from some of our member agencies and the federal administration.

Announcements from the NROC OPC about the Northeast Ocean Data Portal

Northeast Ocean Data Portal to Participate in the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series

On June 23, 2020, from 12-1pm ET, members of the Northeast Ocean Data Portal team will be presenting a webinar, “The Northeast Ocean Data Portal: Delivering Maps and Data for Ocean Planning & Management” as part of the ongoing OneNOAA Science Seminar Series.  For more information and to register for the seminar, please visit the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series website.

Northeast Ocean Data Portal – Recent Data Releases

Maps and time series data for two large datasets were recently released via the Northeast Ocean Data Portal in collaboration with our partners.

On June 2, the Northeast Ocean Data Portal released data and maps for the New England Fishery Management Council’s (NEFMC) Northeast Fishing Effects Model. The data, maps, visualizations, and metadata were all created in collaboration with and vetted by the NEFMC Habitat Plan Development Team who developed the Fishing Effects Model and prepared the associated report.

On June 12, the Northeast Ocean Data Portal released maps and data showing vessel traffic patterns in 2018 and 2019 from the Automatic Identification System. These products are the result of a collaboration with the Marine Cadastre, a joint initiative of BOEM and NOAA.  BOEM and NOAA obtained the data from the U.S. Coast Guard and processed it for regional and other partners to use. The Northeast Ocean Data Portal now contains regional maps, derived from AIS, showing monthly and annual vessel traffic patterns for a variety of vessel types.

Trump Administration Announces Ocean Exploration Strategy

On June 11, 2020, the Trump Administration announced the release of its strategies and recommendations to advance ocean exploration. This includes:

• Establishing A National Strategy for Mapping, Exploring and Characterizing the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone
• Mapping the Coast of Alaska
• Promoting Efficient Permitting

Announcements from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)

On June 11, 2020, BOEM announced it has completed a Supplement to its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Vineyard Wind 1 Offshore Energy Project and on June 12, 2020, published a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register opening a 45-day public comment period that includes five live virtual public meetings.

BOEM also released its FY 2021-2022 Environmental Studies Development Plan. The plan outlines BOEM’s research priorities and includes brief study profiles that describe proposed studies for the upcoming fiscal year and for one successive year.

U.S. Coast Guard Job Announcement

We’d like to share the following position announcement for a Marine Information Specialist at the U.S. Coast Guard, Waterways Management, Boston. It is open to federal employees, veterans and a few other specific groups. https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/570208900