Tools to Inform Decision Making
Accommodating new ocean uses such as wind farms and aquaculture operations in a seascape that already includes multiple competing uses like commercial and recreational fishing is no simple task. It not only requires efficient access to comprehensive data but also the tools to rationally weigh the social, biological and economic tradeoffs between competing interests.
These MOP-funded projects will help stakeholders, managers and policy makers identify vulnerable habitats, compare ocean use compatibilities and run multiple ‘what if’ scenarios for potential siting choices to ultimately achieve the greatest overall social and economic benefit.
| Tools to Inform Decision Making *prior to 2011, SeaPlan operated under the name “Massachusetts Ocean Partnership (MOP)” |
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Understand the compatibilities between and among ocean uses and ocean resources |
Completed |
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Provide a catalogue of planning tools and their potential for application in coastal and marine spatial planning in MA and elsewhere |
Completed |
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Implement and advance a framework for assessing the impacts associated with multiple uses |
In Progress |
MOP; NCEAS; EEA; Stone; Stellwagan Bank NMS, TNC and 65+ survey experts and numerous data providers |
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Develop methodologies to model the tradeoffs between five ecosystem services and create a suitable front-end tool for use by broader audiences |
In Progress |
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