Working together to manage New England’s ocean resources
The Northeast Ocean Plan brings together ocean users – including energy, fishing, shipping, government, conservation, and recreation stakeholders – and the public to make informed, coordinated, and science-based decisions about how we all use and protect our ocean.
CLF in Action
New England led the nation in developing the first comprehensive regional ocean plan, which was approved in 2016. CLF was an active partner with other stakeholders in the planning process, which was led by the Northeast Regional Planning Body – an organization of representatives from federal and state agencies, tribes, the New England Fishery Management Council, and other stakeholders.
Throughout the planning process, CLF pushed to ensure that the plan incorporates the best available scientific data. Now, as the plan is implemented, we’re working to make sure it moves forward sustainable uses of our ocean resources while safeguarding wildlife and sensitive underwater habitats.
What’s at Stake
Today, demands on the ocean and our coastal areas are growing – we’re considering things like wind and tidal energy, undersea transmission cables, and aquaculture alongside traditional uses like fishing, tourism, and boating. New England needs to be ready to capitalize on these opportunities, but not at the expense of our region’s natural beauty, the livelihood of our fishermen, and the places our families go to play.
Managing current and future ocean uses can be complex, but the Northeast Ocean Plan can help us balance these new and increasing demands. Effective implementation of the plan depends on all of us – state and federal agencies, federally recognized tribes, and ocean users of all types – committing to the plan’s best practices. These include early coordination between state and federal agencies when a new project is proposed, incorporating the best available scientific data into the decision-making process, and engaging of people and communities that may be impacted by any given project.
