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| .png){width="7.527777777777778in" |                                   |
| height="0.9416666666666667in"}    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **NOAA In Your State**            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Massachusetts**                 |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| *NOAA\'s work touches the daily   |   -------------------             |
| lives of every person in the      | --------------------------------- |
| United States and in much of the  |   ![](media/image2.               |
| world. Our products and services  | png){width="2.6333333333333333in" |
| are the result of the hard work   |   height="1.6888888888888889in"}  |
| of NOAA's dedicated staff and     |                                   |
| partner organizations located in  |   -------------------             |
| program and research offices      | --------------------------------- |
| throughout the country. The       |                                   |
| following is a summary of NOAA    |                                   |
| programs based in, and focused    |                                   |
| on, your state. The entries are   |                                   |
| listed by statewide, region, and  |                                   |
| then by congressional districts   |                                   |
| and cities or towns.*             |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| ***MA***                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Statewide***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Climate Program Office**        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Massachusetts Grants**          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Climate Program Office        |                                   |
| coordinates climate activities    |                                   |
| across NOAA. It focuses on        |                                   |
| developing a broader user         |                                   |
| community for climate products    |                                   |
| and services, provides NOAA a     |                                   |
| focal point for climate           |                                   |
| activities within NOAA, leads     |                                   |
| NOAA climate education and        |                                   |
| outreach activities, and          |                                   |
| coordinates international climate |                                   |
| activities. It supports projects  |                                   |
| across the nation conducted by    |                                   |
| investigators outside the federal |                                   |
| government, such as the through   |                                   |
| the academic and private sectors, |                                   |
| within the federal government,    |                                   |
| and in NOAA Cooperative           |                                   |
| Institutes. The Climate Program   |                                   |
| Office provides climate funding   |                                   |
| in this state.                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.climate.noaa.gov/>    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Weather Service (NWS)  |                                   |
| and Office of Oceanic and         |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Incident Meteorologist Program  |                                   |
| and Earth Systems Research        |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Fire Weather Services and       |                                   |
| Support**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The National Weather Service      |                                   |
| (NWS) fire weather forecasters    |                                   |
| are called Incident               |                                   |
| Meteorologists (IMETS). When a    |                                   |
| fire reaches a large enough size  |                                   |
| the IMETS are called out to the   |                                   |
| fire to provide constant weather  |                                   |
| updates and forecast briefings to |                                   |
| the fire incident commanders at   |                                   |
| the fire. The IMETS are very      |                                   |
| important members of the fire     |                                   |
| fighting team, as changes in the  |                                   |
| fires are largely due to changes  |                                   |
| in the weather. To improve NWS    |                                   |
| fire weather services to the      |                                   |
| public, NOAA's Earth System       |                                   |
| Research Laboratory (ESRL)        |                                   |
| conducts modeling,                |                                   |
| instrumentation and data services |                                   |
| research.                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ESRL data dissemination and       |                                   |
| display systems are designed to   |                                   |
| be used by trained                |                                   |
| meteorologists, the US Forest     |                                   |
| Service, and the Bureau of Land   |                                   |
| Management. For example, the      |                                   |
| FX-Net thin client system and the |                                   |
| Gridded FX-Net full function      |                                   |
| system are ESRL-developed         |                                   |
| software systems that are a       |                                   |
| critical part of the equipment    |                                   |
| the IMETS bring with them to the  |                                   |
| fire. These mobile PC--based      |                                   |
| client software packages are used |                                   |
| by NWS forecasters at fires in    |                                   |
| all 50 states. Computer servers   |                                   |
| that communicate with the mobile  |                                   |
| PC clients are located in Hawaii, |                                   |
| Alaska, Utah, Colorado, Texas and |                                   |
| New York. The PC-base clients are |                                   |
| also used by state emergency      |                                   |
| managers in many of the NWS       |                                   |
| regional areas. Other             |                                   |
| collaborators who work to improve |                                   |
| NWS fire weather services include |                                   |
| the University of Colorado in     |                                   |
| Boulder (CU), NCAR and private    |                                   |
| sector instrumentation companies. |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Ground Based GPS Meteorology**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Earth System Research         |                                   |
| Laboratory operates and maintains |                                   |
| the Ground-Based GPS Meteorology  |                                   |
| project, currently consisting of  |                                   |
| more than 300 GPS water vapor     |                                   |
| observing systems that provide    |                                   |
| near real-time integrated         |                                   |
| precipitable water vapor (IPW)    |                                   |
| measurements for weather          |                                   |
| forecasting, climate modeling,    |                                   |
| observing system calibration and  |                                   |
| validation, and research. This    |                                   |
| project provides water vapor data |                                   |
| available to all users.           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://                          |                                   |
| www.gpsmet.noaa.gov/jsp/raob.jsp> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Habitat Program**               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Restoration Center**            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Restoration Center works  |                                   |
| with 104 private and public       |                                   |
| partners in the Commonwealth of   |                                   |
| Massachusetts to construct fish   |                                   |
| ladders at dams, remove dams      |                                   |
| entirely, widen bridges, modify   |                                   |
| culverts to improve tidal         |                                   |
| flushing in coastal wetlands, and |                                   |
| restore submerged aquatic         |                                   |
| vegetation. Sixty-six projects    |                                   |
| have been constructed in the      |                                   |
| State since 1997 and roughly 600  |                                   |
| volunteers have contributed their |                                   |
| time and effort to restore        |                                   |
| habitat.                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA - All Coastal Districts***  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Center for Operational          |                                   |
| Oceanographic Products and        |                                   |
| Services**                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Water Level            |                                   |
| Observation Network**             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The National Ocean Service (NOS)  |                                   |
| operates three long-term          |                                   |
| continuously operating tide       |                                   |
| stations in the state of          |                                   |
| Massachusetts which provide data  |                                   |
| and information on tidal datums   |                                   |
| and relative sea level trends,    |                                   |
| and are capable of producing      |                                   |
| real-time data for storm surge    |                                   |
| warning. These stations are       |                                   |
| located at Boston, Woods Hole and |                                   |
| Nantucket.                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [ht                               |                                   |
| tp://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov](h |                                   |
| ttp://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Coast Survey**        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Nautical Charts**               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Office of Coast Survey is     |                                   |
| responsible for creating and      |                                   |
| maintaining the 1000 nautical     |                                   |
| charts of the U.S. Exclusive      |                                   |
| Economic Zone. A nautical chart   |                                   |
| is a graphic portrayal of the     |                                   |
| marine environment showing the    |                                   |
| nature and form of the coast, the |                                   |
| general configuration of the sea  |                                   |
| bottom including water depths,    |                                   |
| locations of dangers to           |                                   |
| navigation, locations and         |                                   |
| characteristics of man-made aids  |                                   |
| to navigation and other features  |                                   |
| useful to the mariner. Available  |                                   |
| to the mariner in three main      |                                   |
| formats \-- paper, raster, and    |                                   |
| vector \-- the nautical chart is  |                                   |
| essential for safe navigation.    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Raster Nautical Charts are        |                                   |
| geo-referenced digital images of  |                                   |
| the paper nautical chart. NOAA\'s |                                   |
| most recent nautical chart        |                                   |
| product, the Electronic           |                                   |
| Navigational Chart (ENC), is a    |                                   |
| vector-based "smart chart" with   |                                   |
| the ability to provide more       |                                   |
| detailed and accurate information |                                   |
| than the traditional paper chart. |                                   |
| NOAA ENCs can be integrated with  |                                   |
| Global Positioning System         |                                   |
| satellite data and other sensor   |                                   |
| information such as radar, water  |                                   |
| levels, winds and weather to      |                                   |
| enhance situational awareness and |                                   |
| help to make informed, safe       |                                   |
| decisions in all weather          |                                   |
| conditions. Available for free on |                                   |
| the Internet, NOAA ENCs are       |                                   |
| designed to meet the increasingly |                                   |
| sophisticated technological       |                                   |
| demands of mariners.              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://nautical                  |                                   |
| charts.noaa.gov/staff/charts.htm> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Coast Survey**        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Navigation Managers**           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Office of Coast Survey        |                                   |
| maintains a regional presence in  |                                   |
| the field to serve its customers  |                                   |
| and act as ambassadors to the     |                                   |
| maritime community. The           |                                   |
| Navigation Managers focus         |                                   |
| primarily on resolving charting   |                                   |
| and navigation questions,         |                                   |
| educating constituents on         |                                   |
| emerging charting technologies    |                                   |
| and their uses, and soliciting    |                                   |
| feedback on NOAA\'s navigation    |                                   |
| products and services from the    |                                   |
| commercial maritime industry.     |                                   |
| They also help to identify the    |                                   |
| challenges facing marine          |                                   |
| transportation. These agents      |                                   |
| assist the Coast Survey in        |                                   |
| overseeing NOAA\'s nautical chart |                                   |
| data collection and information   |                                   |
| programs to meet constituent      |                                   |
| needs for information to navigate |                                   |
| safely and efficiently.           |                                   |
| Massachusetts is served by the    |                                   |
| Northeast Region Navigation       |                                   |
| Manager based in Narragansett,    |                                   |
| RI.                               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://naut                      |                                   |
| icalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/reps.htm> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Coast Survey**        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Navigation Response Teams**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Office of Coast Survey        |                                   |
| maintains 6 Navigation Response   |                                   |
| Teams (NRTs) located regionally   |                                   |
| around the country for            |                                   |
| rapid-response hydrographic       |                                   |
| surveys and nautical chart        |                                   |
| product verifications. NOAA NRTs  |                                   |
| verify Electronic Navigational    |                                   |
| Chart data collection and Coast   |                                   |
| Pilot field examinations to       |                                   |
| promote safe marine navigation,   |                                   |
| but they are also on call 365     |                                   |
| days a year for emergency survey  |                                   |
| requests. This capability is very |                                   |
| useful for port and homeland      |                                   |
| security as the NRTs can provide  |                                   |
| emergency depth surveys for major |                                   |
| ports when disaster has occurred. |                                   |
| For example, in September 2004, a |                                   |
| NOAA NRT responded to a request   |                                   |
| from the Captain of the Port of   |                                   |
| Charleston, SC to survey for new  |                                   |
| shoals created by Hurricane       |                                   |
| JEANNE after the BERMUDA STAR, a  |                                   |
| bulk cargo ship, ran aground near |                                   |
| the port. More recently an NRT    |                                   |
| assisted in locating the          |                                   |
| submerged pipe responsible for    |                                   |
| the 2004 ATHOS oil spill on the   |                                   |
| Delaware River. Surveying to      |                                   |
| verify clear waters or locate     |                                   |
| obstructions after a natural or   |                                   |
| man-made disaster is critical to  |                                   |
| reopening the port. A port        |                                   |
| closure can impact the economy as |                                   |
| ships and cargo are stalled or    |                                   |
| re-routed, and military           |                                   |
| deployments are delayed.          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://nau                       |                                   |
| ticalcharts.noaa.gov/nsd/nrb.htm> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Aerosol, Radiation, and Cloud   |                                   |
| Processes affecting Arctic        |                                   |
| Climate (ARCPAC)**                |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| During the months of March and    |                                   |
| April in the International Polar  |                                   |
| Year of 2008, NOAA's ESRL will    |                                   |
| engage in a field measurement     |                                   |
| campaign to understand why the    |                                   |
| Arctic sea ice is decreasing      |                                   |
| faster than expected. This effort |                                   |
| will be focused on measurements   |                                   |
| of aerosol and cloud processes,   |                                   |
| which can be used to reduce       |                                   |
| uncertainty in radiation and      |                                   |
| climate models. Airborne          |                                   |
| measurements will be made in the  |                                   |
| Colorado Front Range and in the   |                                   |
| Alaskan Arctic, and shipborne     |                                   |
| measurements will be made in New  |                                   |
| England and in the Norwegian and  |                                   |
| Barents Seas. The measurements    |                                   |
| are coordinated with concurrent   |                                   |
| NASA and DOE projects, and are    |                                   |
| linked to international efforts   |                                   |
| through POLARCAT, and official    |                                   |
| IPY organizational structure.     |                                   |
| NOAA Research Vessel *Ron Brown*  |                                   |
| will take measurements in the     |                                   |
| Gulf of Maine based at Boston.    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Pacific Marine Environmental    |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **NOAA Center for Tsunami         |                                   |
| Research (NCTR)**                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Tsunami Research Program at   |                                   |
| the Pacific Marine Environmental  |                                   |
| Laboratory (PMEL), headquartered  |                                   |
| in Seattle, Washington, seeks to  |                                   |
| mitigate tsunami hazards to all   |                                   |
| U.S. coastal states and           |                                   |
| territories, including            |                                   |
| Massachusetts. A tsunami is a     |                                   |
| series of very large ocean waves  |                                   |
| caused by underwater earthquakes, |                                   |
| landslides, volcanic eruptions,   |                                   |
| explosions, and even meteor       |                                   |
| impacts. Capable of flooding      |                                   |
| hundreds of meters inland past    |                                   |
| the typical high-water level, the |                                   |
| fast-moving water associated with |                                   |
| an inundating tsunami can crush   |                                   |
| homes and other coastal           |                                   |
| structures. More common           |                                   |
| occurrences, and devastating in   |                                   |
| an economic sense, are false      |                                   |
| alarms that lead to expensive     |                                   |
| evacuations of coastal areas. The |                                   |
| PMEL NCTR staff conducts research |                                   |
| and development activities in     |                                   |
| close collaboration with the      |                                   |
| National Weather Service (NWS)    |                                   |
| Tsunami Warning Centers, National |                                   |
| Data Buoy Center (NDBC), and the  |                                   |
| coastal states. Activities focus  |                                   |
| on the development of             |                                   |
| site-specific forecast models for |                                   |
| coastal population centers. These |                                   |
| models are integrated into a      |                                   |
| PMEL-developed operational        |                                   |
| tsunami forecasting system at the |                                   |
| Tsunami Warning Centers. PMEL     |                                   |
| developed the original real-time  |                                   |
| DART tsunami-measuring buoy which |                                   |
| has been transitioned to NDBC.    |                                   |
| Engineering development is        |                                   |
| underway at PMEL to improve the   |                                   |
| cost-effectiveness of these       |                                   |
| platforms. Tsunami research at    |                                   |
| PMEL focuses on model             |                                   |
| improvements and tsunami hazard   |                                   |
| mitigation.                       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [http://nctr.pmel.noaa            |                                   |
| .gov](http://nctr.pmel.noaa.gov/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Ocean Exploration and |                                   |
| Research (OER)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Center for the North Atlantic   |                                   |
| and Great Lakes**                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Office of Ocean           |                                   |
| Exploration and Research focuses  |                                   |
| on exploration, advanced undersea |                                   |
| technology development, research  |                                   |
| of extreme and unique             |                                   |
| environments, continental shelf   |                                   |
| ecosystems, new ocean resources,  |                                   |
| and ocean dynamics, and the       |                                   |
| communication of results to       |                                   |
| various audiences through         |                                   |
| education and outreach. NOAA\'s   |                                   |
| Undersea Research Center for the  |                                   |
| North Atlantic and Great Lakes    |                                   |
| (NAGL), one of the six NURP       |                                   |
| regional centers, is housed at    |                                   |
| the University of Connecticut.    |                                   |
| The NALG Center supports undersea |                                   |
| research off the U.S.'s           |                                   |
| northeastern coast (i.e., Gulf of |                                   |
| Maine, Georges Bank and the       |                                   |
| Southern New England Coast        |                                   |
| including Long Island Sound) and  |                                   |
| in the Laurentian Great Lakes.    |                                   |
| The center's research focuses on  |                                   |
| ecosystem response to human       |                                   |
| induced stress such as fishing    |                                   |
| and pollution and the role of     |                                   |
| habitat in sustaining fisheries   |                                   |
| and biological diversity.         |                                   |
| Underwater diving technologies    |                                   |
| available through NAGL include    |                                   |
| occupied submersibles, remotely   |                                   |
| operated vehicles (ROV\'s), and   |                                   |
| Nitrox scuba.                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [http://www.nurp.noa              |                                   |
| a.gov](http://www.nurp.noaa.gov/) |                                   |
| and                               |                                   |
| [http                             |                                   |
| ://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov](ht |                                   |
| tp://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-1***                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Amherst***                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Fisheries Science     |                                   |
| Center**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Cooperative Marine Education    |                                   |
| and Research Program**            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Cooperative Marine Education  |                                   |
| and Research (CMER) provides for  |                                   |
| university involvement in         |                                   |
| addressing agency research needs  |                                   |
| and tackling the problem of       |                                   |
| training future experts in the    |                                   |
| area of marine science. Each of   |                                   |
| the Center's CMER programs is     |                                   |
| organized around a coordinating   |                                   |
| committee and director. The       |                                   |
| committee comprises agency and    |                                   |
| university representatives, and   |                                   |
| meets annually to set research    |                                   |
| priorities and program direction. |                                   |
| The director is a senior agency   |                                   |
| scientist who administers the     |                                   |
| program and participates in the   |                                   |
| research and education activities |                                   |
| of the academic institution. The  |                                   |
| CMER program at the University of |                                   |
| Massachusetts has engaged faculty |                                   |
| members and graduate students     |                                   |
| from 11 departments on the        |                                   |
| Amherst campus in the College of  |                                   |
| Food and Natural Sciences,        |                                   |
| Eisenberg School of Management,   |                                   |
| College of Natural Sciences and   |                                   |
| Mathematics as well as            |                                   |
| departments on the university's   |                                   |
| Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell     |                                   |
| campuses. Projects have addressed |                                   |
| a wide range of issues important  |                                   |
| in the Northeast, such as winter  |                                   |
| flounder ecology, seafood shelf   |                                   |
| life, sampling designs,           |                                   |
| subsistence fishing, and cod      |                                   |
| maturation.                       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http                             |                                   |
| ://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/omes/cmer/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Petersham \[Harvard            |                                   |
| Forest\]***                       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Atmosphere       |                                   |
| Aloft - Carbon Cycle Gases and    |                                   |
| Halocarbons**                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Earth System Research     |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) operates a new  |                                   |
| and growing small aircraft-based  |                                   |
| North American network of         |                                   |
| sampling sites to measure         |                                   |
| vertical profiles of important    |                                   |
| greenhouse gas concentrations.    |                                   |
| Air is sampled above the surface  |                                   |
| up to approximately 25,000 feet   |                                   |
| above sea level using a           |                                   |
| relatively small, light, and      |                                   |
| economical automated system       |                                   |
| developed by ESRL researchers.    |                                   |
| These air samples are delivered   |                                   |
| to the ESRL laboratory in         |                                   |
| Boulder, Colorado for             |                                   |
| measurements of CO2, CH4, and     |                                   |
| other greenhouse gasses. This     |                                   |
| data will improve understanding   |                                   |
| and models of the global carbon   |                                   |
| cycle. Sampling is conducted      |                                   |
| bi-weekly. Some air samples from  |                                   |
| the small aircraft program are    |                                   |
| also analyzed for halocarbon      |                                   |
| gases that can destroy the        |                                   |
| stratospheric ozone layer.        |                                   |
| Halocarbon measurements help      |                                   |
| determine the effectiveness of    |                                   |
| efforts to protect and restore    |                                   |
| the ozone layer so it can protect |                                   |
| us from the sun's ultraviolet     |                                   |
| radiation.                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.esrl                  |                                   |
| .noaa.gov/gmd/about/climate.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Surface          |                                   |
| Atmosphere -- Halocarbon          |                                   |
| Measurements**                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Earth System Research      |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) operates a      |                                   |
| sampling network to measure the   |                                   |
| distribution and trends of the    |                                   |
| gases most responsible for        |                                   |
| human-caused depletion of the     |                                   |
| stratospheric ozone layer. Weekly |                                   |
| samples are collected in high     |                                   |
| pressure flasks at fixed          |                                   |
| locations. The air sample flasks  |                                   |
| are delivered to the ESRL         |                                   |
| laboratory, located in Boulder,   |                                   |
| CO for analysis. Some locations   |                                   |
| conduct continuous surface        |                                   |
| measurements on site. Halocarbon  |                                   |
| measurements help determine the   |                                   |
| effectiveness of efforts to       |                                   |
| protect and restore the ozone     |                                   |
| layer - so it can protect us from |                                   |
| the sun's ultraviolet radiation.  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <ht                               |                                   |
| tp://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/hats/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-3***                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Newburyport***                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Region**              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **New England Fishery Management  |                                   |
| Council**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The New England Fishery           |                                   |
| Management Council (Council) is   |                                   |
| one of eight regional councils    |                                   |
| established by the Magnuson       |                                   |
| Stevens Fishery Conservation and  |                                   |
| Management Act to manage living   |                                   |
| marine resources within the       |                                   |
| Exclusive Economic Zone of the    |                                   |
| United States. The Council        |                                   |
| manages fisheries in U.S. waters  |                                   |
| off New England states. The       |                                   |
| Council representatives include   |                                   |
| NMFS, state governments, and      |                                   |
| members appointed from the public |                                   |
| at large.                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [http://www.                      |                                   |
| nefmc.org](http://www.nefmc.org/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Worcester***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Surface          |                                   |
| Atmosphere -- Ozone               |                                   |
| Measurements**                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ESRL conducts long-term           |                                   |
| monitoring of ozone at the        |                                   |
| surface, with aircraft, and with  |                                   |
| balloons, through cooperati0ve    |                                   |
| relationships with local          |                                   |
| partners. The ESRL tropospheric   |                                   |
| ozone aircraft measurement        |                                   |
| program is being done in          |                                   |
| conjunction with the Carbon Cycle |                                   |
| and Greenhouse Gas (CCGG)         |                                   |
| group\'s existing aircraft        |                                   |
| sampling network. Aircraft based  |                                   |
| in-situ tropospheric ozone        |                                   |
| measurements provide data         |                                   |
| relevant to: pollution events,    |                                   |
| lower atmosphere mixing dynamics, |                                   |
| boundary layer stability, ozone   |                                   |
| trend studies, and the validity   |                                   |
| of other samples collected        |                                   |
| in-flight. Near ground level      |                                   |
| ozone is currently monitored      |                                   |
| using ultraviolet absorption      |                                   |
| photometers at eight sites that   |                                   |
| are generally representative of   |                                   |
| background conditions. These      |                                   |
| sites, four of which have records |                                   |
| exceeding 25 years in length,     |                                   |
| provide information on possible   |                                   |
| long-term changes in tropospheric |                                   |
| ozone near the surface and        |                                   |
| support air quality research.     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <ht                               |                                   |
| tp://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ozwv/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-4***                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Boston at Taunton***           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Weather Service        |                                   |
| (NWS)**                           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Weather Forecast Office**       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Boston WFO and Northeast River  |                                   |
| Forecast Center**                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Located about 30 miles south of   |                                   |
| Boston, this National Weather     |                                   |
| Service Weather Forecast Office   |                                   |
| provides weather and flood        |                                   |
| warnings, daily forecasts and     |                                   |
| meteorologic and hydrologic data  |                                   |
| for 35 counties, with a           |                                   |
| population of 7.9 million         |                                   |
| residents. The Center covers      |                                   |
| northern Connecticut (including   |                                   |
| Hartford), Rhode Island           |                                   |
| (including Providence), southwest |                                   |
| New Hampshire (including          |                                   |
| Manchester), most of              |                                   |
| Massachusetts (including the      |                                   |
| greater Boston metropolitan       |                                   |
| area), and the coastal waters     |                                   |
| adjacent to Massachusetts and     |                                   |
| Rhode Island.The co-located River |                                   |
| Forecast Center provides          |                                   |
| forecasts of river levels and     |                                   |
| flooding potential for New        |                                   |
| England and parts of New York.    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box> and |                                   |
| <h                                |                                   |
| ttp://www.nws.noaa.gov/er/nerfc/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Fairhaven***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Seafood Inspection     |                                   |
| Program**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Fairhaven Lot Inspection        |                                   |
| Office**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's National Seafood           |                                   |
| Inspection Program conducts a     |                                   |
| voluntary inspection program for  |                                   |
| fishery products on a             |                                   |
| fee-for-service basis. The Office |                                   |
| offers a wide range of services   |                                   |
| to the area\'s fishermen and fish |                                   |
| processors including process and  |                                   |
| product inspection, product       |                                   |
| grading, lot inspection,          |                                   |
| laboratory analysis, and          |                                   |
| training. All edible foodstuffs,  |                                   |
| ranging from whole fish to        |                                   |
| formulated products, as well as   |                                   |
| fish meal used for animal foods,  |                                   |
| are eligible for inspection and   |                                   |
| certification.                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov/>   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***New Bedford***                 |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Regional Office**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Fisheries Statistics Office**   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Northeast Region Fishery      |                                   |
| Statistics Office (FSO) field     |                                   |
| office responsible for the        |                                   |
| collection, receipt and initial   |                                   |
| processing of fishery dependent   |                                   |
| data describing the commercial    |                                   |
| fisheries\' harvests and landings |                                   |
| in the local area. The fishery    |                                   |
| dependent data includes seafood   |                                   |
| dealer receipts of purchases from |                                   |
| fishing vessels, biological       |                                   |
| samples of these landings and     |                                   |
| other information used by fishery |                                   |
| managers and scientists to        |                                   |
| monitor and assess coast wide     |                                   |
| stocks of finfish and shellfish.  |                                   |
| Staff serve as liaisons to the    |                                   |
| local fishing industry, state     |                                   |
| marine fisheries agencies, and    |                                   |
| other constituents.               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nero.noaa.gov/fso/>   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Law Enforcement**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **New Bedford Field Office**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| National Marine Fisheries Service |                                   |
| (NMFS) Office for Law Enforcement |                                   |
| is dedicated primarily to the     |                                   |
| enforcement of laws that protect  |                                   |
| and regulate our Nation's living  |                                   |
| marine resources and their        |                                   |
| natural habitat. Office of Law    |                                   |
| Enforcement special agents and    |                                   |
| enforcement officers have         |                                   |
| specified authority to enforce    |                                   |
| over 37 statutes, as well as      |                                   |
| numerous treaties related to the  |                                   |
| conservation and protection of    |                                   |
| marine resources and other        |                                   |
| matters of concern to NOAA. From  |                                   |
| the Maine/Canadian border south   |                                   |
| to the southern parts of Virginia |                                   |
| lies one of the largest and       |                                   |
| most-active fishing fleets in the |                                   |
| world. Over 12,000 federally      |                                   |
| licensed commercial fishing       |                                   |
| vessels ply these waters in       |                                   |
| search of scallops, bluefin tuna, |                                   |
| swordfish, monkfish, lobster and  |                                   |
| Atlantic cod. In the Northeast    |                                   |
| Division, the special agents and  |                                   |
| support personnel monitor         |                                   |
| thousands of recreational fishing |                                   |
| vessels, 43 major seafood ports,  |                                   |
| 12 major seafood exchanges, 21    |                                   |
| major international airports, and |                                   |
| eight major entry stations from   |                                   |
| Canada. The Office for Law        |                                   |
| Enforcement Northeast Division is |                                   |
| also responsible for enforcement  |                                   |
| activities within NOAA's          |                                   |
| Stellwagen Bank National Marine   |                                   |
| Sanctuary off Massachusetts and   |                                   |
| Thunder Bay National Marine       |                                   |
| Sanctuary in Michigan. The        |                                   |
| Northeast Division has a vast     |                                   |
| assortment of missions to enforce |                                   |
| laws across 84,000 miles of open  |                                   |
| water in the EEZ that are home to |                                   |
| multiple endangered species       |                                   |
| including the critically          |                                   |
| endangered Northern Right Whale.  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nmf                   |                                   |
| s.noaa.gov/ole/ne_northeast.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Habitat Program**               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **New Bedford Harbor Superfund    |                                   |
| Site**                            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NMFS Restoration Center assists   |                                   |
| the New Bedford Harbor Trustee    |                                   |
| Council to implement restoration  |                                   |
| projects that address the injury  |                                   |
| to natural resources caused by    |                                   |
| the release of hazardous          |                                   |
| substances into New Bedford       |                                   |
| Harbor and the Acushnet River.    |                                   |
| The Council administers a fund    |                                   |
| derived from settlements with     |                                   |
| manufacturers that discharged     |                                   |
| polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)  |                                   |
| into the harbor and river. To     |                                   |
| date the Council has completed 21 |                                   |
| restoration projects including    |                                   |
| restoration of salt marsh, fish   |                                   |
| passage, eelgrass and shellfish,  |                                   |
| land protection, and recreational |                                   |
| park construction.                |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <h                                |                                   |
| ttp://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Science On a Sphere®**          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Science On a Sphere (SOS) is a    |                                   |
| room sized, global display system |                                   |
| that uses computers and video     |                                   |
| projectors to display planetary   |                                   |
| data onto a six foot diameter     |                                   |
| sphere, analogous to a giant      |                                   |
| animated globe. Researchers at    |                                   |
| NOAA developed Science On a       |                                   |
| Sphere® as an educational tool to |                                   |
| help illustrate Earth System      |                                   |
| science to people of all ages.    |                                   |
| Animated images of atmospheric    |                                   |
| storms, climate change, and ocean |                                   |
| temperature can be shown on the   |                                   |
| sphere, which is used to explain  |                                   |
| what are sometimes complex        |                                   |
| environmental processes, in a way |                                   |
| that is simultaneously intuitive  |                                   |
| and captivating. Science On a     |                                   |
| Sphere® extends NOAA's            |                                   |
| educational program goals, which  |                                   |
| are designed to increase public   |                                   |
| understanding of the environment. |                                   |
| Using NOAA's collective           |                                   |
| experience and knowledge of the   |                                   |
| Earth's land, oceans, and         |                                   |
| atmosphere, NOAA uses Science On  |                                   |
| a Sphere® as an instrument to     |                                   |
| enhance informal educational      |                                   |
| programs in science centers,      |                                   |
| universities, and museums across  |                                   |
| the country. Science On a Sphere® |                                   |
| is available to any institution   |                                   |
| and is currently in operation at  |                                   |
| facilities across the United      |                                   |
| States.                           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.sos.noaa.gov/> and    |                                   |
| <http://                          |                                   |
| sos.noaa.gov/news/sos_sites.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-6***                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Gloucester***                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Region**              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Regional Office**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NMFS Northeast Regional Office is |                                   |
| responsible for planning,         |                                   |
| developing, implementing and      |                                   |
| administering programs for        |                                   |
| management of living marine       |                                   |
| resources in the Large Marine     |                                   |
| Ecosystems of the North Atlantic  |                                   |
| Shelf and the Great Lakes. The    |                                   |
| political environment includes 18 |                                   |
| states from North Carolina to     |                                   |
| Maine and the northeast interior. |                                   |
| The Regional Administrator        |                                   |
| represents NOAA on Fishery        |                                   |
| Management Councils and other     |                                   |
| organizations that advise the     |                                   |
| Federal government on the         |                                   |
| management of living marine       |                                   |
| resources and provides expertise  |                                   |
| in international marine           |                                   |
| conservation concerns affecting   |                                   |
| eastern Canada and the North      |                                   |
| Atlantic Ocean. The Regional      |                                   |
| Office is comprised of five       |                                   |
| divisions: Sustainable Fisheries, |                                   |
| Habitat Conservation, Protected   |                                   |
| Resources, Fisheries Statistics,  |                                   |
| and State, Federal, and           |                                   |
| Constituent Programs.             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/>  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Regional Office**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Fisheries Statistics Office**   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Northeast Region Fishery      |                                   |
| Statistics Office (FSO) field     |                                   |
| office responsible for the        |                                   |
| collection, receipt and initial   |                                   |
| processing of fishery dependent   |                                   |
| data describing the commercial    |                                   |
| fisheries\' harvests and landings |                                   |
| in the local area. The fishery    |                                   |
| dependent data includes seafood   |                                   |
| dealer receipts of purchases from |                                   |
| fishing vessels, biological       |                                   |
| samples of these landings and     |                                   |
| other information used by fishery |                                   |
| managers and scientists to        |                                   |
| monitor and assess coast wide     |                                   |
| stocks of finfish and shellfish.  |                                   |
| Staff liaison with the local      |                                   |
| fishing industry, state marine    |                                   |
| fisheries agencies, and other     |                                   |
| constituents.                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nero.noaa.gov/fso/>   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Law Enforcement**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Division Office**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NMFS Office for Law Enforcement   |                                   |
| is dedicated primarily to the     |                                   |
| enforcement of laws that protect  |                                   |
| and regulate our Nation's living  |                                   |
| marine resources and their        |                                   |
| natural habitat. Office of Law    |                                   |
| Enforcement special agents and    |                                   |
| enforcement officers have         |                                   |
| specified authority to enforce    |                                   |
| over 37 statutes, as well as      |                                   |
| numerous treaties related to the  |                                   |
| conservation and protection of    |                                   |
| marine resources and other        |                                   |
| matters of concern to NOAA. From  |                                   |
| the Maine/Canadian border south   |                                   |
| to the southern parts of Virginia |                                   |
| lies one of the largest and       |                                   |
| most-active fishing fleets in the |                                   |
| world. Over 12,000 federally      |                                   |
| licensed commercial fishing       |                                   |
| vessels ply these waters in       |                                   |
| search of scallops, blue fin      |                                   |
| tuna, swordfish, monkfish,        |                                   |
| lobster and Atlantic cod. In the  |                                   |
| Northeast Division, the special   |                                   |
| agents and support personnel      |                                   |
| monitor thousands of recreational |                                   |
| fishing vessels, 43 major seafood |                                   |
| ports, 12 major seafood           |                                   |
| exchanges, 21 major international |                                   |
| airports, and eight major entry   |                                   |
| stations from Canada. Office for  |                                   |
| Law Enforcement Northeast         |                                   |
| Division is also responsible for  |                                   |
| enforcement activities within     |                                   |
| NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National   |                                   |
| Marine Sanctuary off              |                                   |
| Massachusetts and Thunder Bay     |                                   |
| National Marine Sanctuary in      |                                   |
| Michigan. The Northeast Division  |                                   |
| has a vast assortment of missions |                                   |
| to enforce laws across 84,000     |                                   |
| miles of open water in the EEZ    |                                   |
| that are home to multiple         |                                   |
| endangered species including the  |                                   |
| critically endangered Northern    |                                   |
| Right Whale.                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nmf                   |                                   |
| s.noaa.gov/ole/ne_northeast.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Seafood Inspection     |                                   |
| Program**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Gloucester Lot Inspection       |                                   |
| Office**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program |                                   |
| conducts a voluntary inspection   |                                   |
| program for fishery products on a |                                   |
| fee-for-service basis. The Office |                                   |
| offers a wide range of services   |                                   |
| to the area\'s fishermen and fish |                                   |
| processors including process and  |                                   |
| product inspection, product       |                                   |
| grading, lot inspection,          |                                   |
| laboratory analysis, and          |                                   |
| training. All edible foodstuffs,  |                                   |
| ranging from whole fish to        |                                   |
| formulated products, as well as   |                                   |
| fish meal used for animal foods,  |                                   |
| are eligible for inspection and   |                                   |
| certification.                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov/>   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Seafood Inspection Program**    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Inspection Branch and |                                   |
| National Training Section**       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Seafood Inspection Program |                                   |
| conducts a voluntary inspection   |                                   |
| program for fishery products on a |                                   |
| fee-for-service basis. The Office |                                   |
| offers a wide range of services   |                                   |
| to the area\'s fishermen and fish |                                   |
| processors including process and  |                                   |
| product inspection, product       |                                   |
| grading, lot inspection,          |                                   |
| laboratory analysis, and          |                                   |
| training. All edible foodstuffs,  |                                   |
| ranging from whole fish to        |                                   |
| formulated products, as well as   |                                   |
| fish meal used for animal foods,  |                                   |
| are eligible for inspection and   |                                   |
| certification.                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov/>   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Manchester***                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Law Enforcement**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Manchester Field Office**       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NMFS Office for Law Enforcement   |                                   |
| is dedicated primarily to the     |                                   |
| enforcement of laws that protect  |                                   |
| and regulate our Nation's living  |                                   |
| marine resources and their        |                                   |
| natural habitat. Office for Law   |                                   |
| Enforcement special agents and    |                                   |
| enforcement officers have         |                                   |
| specified authority to enforce    |                                   |
| over 37 statutes, as well as      |                                   |
| numerous treaties related to the  |                                   |
| conservation and protection of    |                                   |
| marine resources and other        |                                   |
| matters of concern to NOAA. From  |                                   |
| the Maine/Canadian border south   |                                   |
| to the southern parts of Virginia |                                   |
| lies one of the largest and       |                                   |
| most-active fishing fleets in the |                                   |
| world. Over 12,000 federally      |                                   |
| licensed commercial fishing       |                                   |
| vessels ply these waters in       |                                   |
| search of scallops, blue fin      |                                   |
| tuna, swordfish, monkfish,        |                                   |
| lobster and Atlantic cod. In the  |                                   |
| Northeast Division, the special   |                                   |
| agents and support personnel      |                                   |
| monitor thousands of recreational |                                   |
| fishing vessels, 43 major seafood |                                   |
| ports, 12 major seafood           |                                   |
| exchanges, 21 major international |                                   |
| airports, and eight major entry   |                                   |
| stations from Canada. The Office  |                                   |
| for Law Enforcement Northeast     |                                   |
| Division is also responsible for  |                                   |
| enforcement activities within     |                                   |
| NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National   |                                   |
| Marine Sanctuary off              |                                   |
| Massachusetts and Thunder Bay     |                                   |
| National Marine Sanctuary in      |                                   |
| Michigan. The Northeast Division  |                                   |
| has a vast assortment of missions |                                   |
| to enforce laws across 84,000     |                                   |
| miles of open water in the EEZ    |                                   |
| that are home to multiple         |                                   |
| endangered species including the  |                                   |
| critically endangered Northern    |                                   |
| Right Whale.                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nmf                   |                                   |
| s.noaa.gov/ole/ne_northeast.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-8***                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Boston***                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Geodetic Survey**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Geodetic Advisor**              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Geodetic Advisor is a jointly |                                   |
| funded National Ocean Service     |                                   |
| (NOS) employee that resides in    |                                   |
| the state to provide liaison      |                                   |
| between the NOS and the host      |                                   |
| state. The Geodetic Advisor       |                                   |
| guides and assists the state\'s   |                                   |
| charting, geodetic and surveying  |                                   |
| programs through technical        |                                   |
| expertise. The program is         |                                   |
| designed to fill a need for more  |                                   |
| accurate geodetic surveys, and is |                                   |
| in response to the desire of      |                                   |
| states to improve their surveying |                                   |
| techniques to meet Federal        |                                   |
| Geodetic Control subcommittee     |                                   |
| standards and specifications. The |                                   |
| surveys provide the basis for all |                                   |
| forms of mapping and engineering  |                                   |
| projects, and monitoring of the   |                                   |
| dynamic Earth. This program also  |                                   |
| provides technical assistance in  |                                   |
| planning and implementing         |                                   |
| Geographic/ Land Information      |                                   |
| System: (GIS/LIS) projects.       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.ngs.noaa.             |                                   |
| gov/ADVISORS/AdvisorsIndex.shtml> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Ocean and Coastal     |                                   |
| Resource Management**             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Massachusetts Coastal           |                                   |
| Management Program**              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Lead Agency: Massachusetts        |                                   |
| Executive Office of Environmental |                                   |
| Affairs. Massachusetts\' Coastal  |                                   |
| Management Program (MCMP) must    |                                   |
| balance the competing demands of  |                                   |
| dredging and dredge material      |                                   |
| disposal, coastal erosion, runoff |                                   |
| pollution, public access, ocean   |                                   |
| resource management, port         |                                   |
| revitalization, and harbor        |                                   |
| planning. The state\'s major      |                                   |
| industries of tourism, fishing,   |                                   |
| shipping, and aquaculture make    |                                   |
| the coast vital to the state\'s   |                                   |
| economy. The MCMP consists of 20  |                                   |
| enforceable program policies and  |                                   |
| nine management principles        |                                   |
| governing activities in the       |                                   |
| coastal zone. These policies are  |                                   |
| implemented through statutory     |                                   |
| authorities by a network of       |                                   |
| responsible regulatory agencies,  |                                   |
| primarily the State Department of |                                   |
| Environmental Protection. The     |                                   |
| Coastal Resources Advisory Board  |                                   |
| is the Commonwealth\'s advisory   |                                   |
| group, active in state-level      |                                   |
| advisory planning, priority       |                                   |
| setting and evaluation.           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.ocrm.nos.no           |                                   |
| aa.gov/czm/czmmassachusetts.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Ocean and Coastal     |                                   |
| Resource Management**             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Protected Areas |                                   |
| Center, New England MPA           |                                   |
| Coordinator**                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The National Marine Protected     |                                   |
| Areas Center is a collaboration   |                                   |
| between NOAA and the Department   |                                   |
| of the Interior. The MPA Center's |                                   |
| New England Coordinator is hosted |                                   |
| by the National Park Service      |                                   |
| northeast regional office and     |                                   |
| serves as the on-the-ground link  |                                   |
| between the MPA Center and        |                                   |
| regional entities involved in     |                                   |
| MPA-related activities.           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.mpa.gov/>             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Cambridge***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Sea Grant College      |                                   |
| Program**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Massachusetts Institute of      |                                   |
| Technology Sea Grant College      |                                   |
| Program**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s National Sea Grant        |                                   |
| College Program is a              |                                   |
| federal-university partnership    |                                   |
| that integrates research,         |                                   |
| education, and outreach           |                                   |
| (extension and communications).   |                                   |
| Sea Grant forms a network of 32   |                                   |
| programs in all U.S. coastal and  |                                   |
| Great Lakes states, Puerto Rico   |                                   |
| and Guam. The Massachusetts       |                                   |
| Institute of Technology Sea Grant |                                   |
| College Program sponsors marine   |                                   |
| research guided by local and      |                                   |
| national research needs. For      |                                   |
| maximal potential impact,         |                                   |
| research is focused on specific   |                                   |
| theme areas, including marine     |                                   |
| biotechnology, coastal management |                                   |
| and utilization, technology       |                                   |
| development, non-indigenous       |                                   |
| species, and coupled ocean        |                                   |
| observation and modeling. The Sea |                                   |
| Grant program also has continuing |                                   |
| research, education, and advisory |                                   |
| efforts in coastal management and |                                   |
| its utilization.                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://web.mit.edu/seagrant>     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-9***                        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Boston***                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Fisheries Science     |                                   |
| Center**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Market News Boston Office**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's "Fishery Market News"      |                                   |
| began operations in New York City |                                   |
| on February 14, 1938. The primary |                                   |
| function of this joint            |                                   |
| Federal/industry program is to    |                                   |
| provide accurate and unbiased     |                                   |
| reports depicting current         |                                   |
| conditions affecting the trade in |                                   |
| fish and fishery products. Market |                                   |
| News takes the pulse of the       |                                   |
| market. Other services may try to |                                   |
| diagnose the market, but Market   |                                   |
| News merely observes, records,    |                                   |
| and reports on current            |                                   |
| conditions. The Boston Office     |                                   |
| reports on a variety of market    |                                   |
| statistics, including daily       |                                   |
| auction pricing in New England    |                                   |
| ports.                            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://                          |                                   |
| www.st.nmfs.gov/st1/market_news/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Ocean Resources       |                                   |
| Conservation and Assessment**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Coastal Resource Coordinator**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA acts on behalf of the        |                                   |
| Secretary of Commerce as a        |                                   |
| Federal trustee, under CERCLA     |                                   |
| (Comprehensive Environmental      |                                   |
| Response, Compensation, and       |                                   |
| Liability Act) and other laws,    |                                   |
| for natural resources in coastal  |                                   |
| and marine areas. NOAA\'s mandate |                                   |
| is to protect and restore trust   |                                   |
| resources that are injured by     |                                   |
| Superfund site contaminants. NOAA |                                   |
| fulfills its responsibilities     |                                   |
| through an effective network of   |                                   |
| Coastal Resource Coordinators     |                                   |
| (CRCs) placed in eight EPA        |                                   |
| regional offices, as well as an   |                                   |
| interdisciplinary technical       |                                   |
| support group located in Seattle. |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The CRC based in Boston responds  |                                   |
| to local technical requirements   |                                   |
| by identifying risks to natural   |                                   |
| resources, recommending           |                                   |
| protective remedial measures, and |                                   |
| designing projects to restore     |                                   |
| injured resources and habitats in |                                   |
| cooperation with U.S. EPA         |                                   |
| Superfund program managers, the   |                                   |
| U.S. Department of Defense, the   |                                   |
| State of Massachusetts, and other |                                   |
| trustee agencies. CRCs work with  |                                   |
| lead cleanup agencies to achieve  |                                   |
| remedies that protect both human  |                                   |
| health and natural resources by   |                                   |
| fostering cooperative,            |                                   |
| cost-effective problem solving    |                                   |
| strategies; developing            |                                   |
| environmentally protective        |                                   |
| remedies; and minimizing costly   |                                   |
| litigation. Additionally, CRCs    |                                   |
| improve coordination among        |                                   |
| trustee agencies and protect      |                                   |
| natural resources through         |                                   |
| participation in settlement       |                                   |
| negotiations with responsible     |                                   |
| parties.                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [http://res                       |                                   |
| ponse.restoration.noaa.gov](http: |                                   |
| //response.restoration.noaa.gov/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Response and          |                                   |
| Restoration**                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Scientific Support              |                                   |
| Coordinator**                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Hazardous Materials       |                                   |
| Response Division (HAZMAT)        |                                   |
| strives to reduce risks to        |                                   |
| coastal habitats and resources    |                                   |
| from oil and hazardous chemical   |                                   |
| spills. HAZMAT\'s                 |                                   |
| multi-disciplinary Scientific     |                                   |
| Support Team has decades of       |                                   |
| experience in responding to oil   |                                   |
| spill emergencies. Led by its     |                                   |
| nine regionally based Scientific  |                                   |
| Support Coordinators (SSCs),      |                                   |
| HAZMAT\'s response to spill       |                                   |
| emergencies has gained a          |                                   |
| reputation for rapid,             |                                   |
| well-thought-out, yet cost        |                                   |
| effective environmental           |                                   |
| protection decisions.             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The SSC based in Boston works     |                                   |
| directly with U.S. Coast Guard    |                                   |
| spill response teams by providing |                                   |
| critical scientific support to    |                                   |
| the federal On-Scene Coordinator  |                                   |
| (OSC) during spills of oil or     |                                   |
| hazardous materials. SSCs use oil |                                   |
| spill trajectory estimates,       |                                   |
| chemical hazards analyses, and    |                                   |
| assessments of the sensitivity of |                                   |
| biological and human-use          |                                   |
| resources to help the OSC make    |                                   |
| timely operational decisions.     |                                   |
| SSCs provide guidance,            |                                   |
| experience, and resources to      |                                   |
| develop spill preparedness plans  |                                   |
| that help identify the spill      |                                   |
| response action with the greatest |                                   |
| environmental benefit.            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [http://res                       |                                   |
| ponse.restoration.noaa.gov](http: |                                   |
| //response.restoration.noaa.gov/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***MA-10***                       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Chatham***                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Regional Office**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Fisheries Statistics Office**   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The Northeast Region Fishery      |                                   |
| Statistics Office (FSO) field     |                                   |
| office is responsible for the     |                                   |
| collection, receipt and initial   |                                   |
| processing of fishery dependent   |                                   |
| data describing the commercial    |                                   |
| fisheries\' harvests and landings |                                   |
| in the local area. The fishery    |                                   |
| dependent data includes seafood   |                                   |
| dealer receipts of purchases from |                                   |
| fishing vessels, biological       |                                   |
| samples of these landings and     |                                   |
| other information used by fishery |                                   |
| managers and scientists to        |                                   |
| monitor and assess coast wide     |                                   |
| stocks of finfish and shellfish.  |                                   |
| Staff liaison with the local      |                                   |
| fishing industry, state marine    |                                   |
| fisheries agencies, and other     |                                   |
| constituents.                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nero.noaa.gov/fso/>   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Martha's Vineyard***           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Surface          |                                   |
| Atmosphere - Cooperative Global   |                                   |
| Air Sampling Network**            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Earth System Research      |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) operates a      |                                   |
| Cooperative Global Air Sampling   |                                   |
| Network to measure the            |                                   |
| distribution and trends of carbon |                                   |
| dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4),  |                                   |
| the two gases most responsible    |                                   |
| for human-caused climate change,  |                                   |
| as well as other greenhouse gases |                                   |
| and volatile organic compounds.   |                                   |
| Samples are collected weekly at   |                                   |
| fixed locations and on several    |                                   |
| commercial ships. The air samples |                                   |
| are delivered to the ESRL         |                                   |
| laboratory, located in Boulder,   |                                   |
| CO. The observed geographical     |                                   |
| patterns and small but persistent |                                   |
| spatial gradients are used to     |                                   |
| better understand the processes,  |                                   |
| both natural and human induced,   |                                   |
| that underlie the trends. These   |                                   |
| measurements help determine the   |                                   |
| magnitude of carbon sources and   |                                   |
| sinks in North America.           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.esrl                  |                                   |
| .noaa.gov/gmd/about/climate.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Surface          |                                   |
| Atmosphere -- Halocarbon          |                                   |
| Measurements**                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Earth System Research      |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) operates a      |                                   |
| sampling network to measure the   |                                   |
| distribution and trends of the    |                                   |
| gases most responsible for        |                                   |
| human-caused depletion of the     |                                   |
| stratospheric ozone layer. Weekly |                                   |
| samples are collected in high     |                                   |
| pressure flasks at fixed          |                                   |
| locations. The air sample flasks  |                                   |
| are delivered to the ESRL         |                                   |
| laboratory, located in Boulder,   |                                   |
| CO for analysis. Some locations   |                                   |
| conduct continuous surface        |                                   |
| measurements on site. Halocarbon  |                                   |
| measurements help determine the   |                                   |
| effectiveness of efforts to       |                                   |
| protect and restore the ozone     |                                   |
| layer - so it can protect us from |                                   |
| the sun's ultraviolet radiation.  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <ht                               |                                   |
| tp://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/hats/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Earth System Research           |                                   |
| Laboratory**                      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Monitoring the Atmosphere --    |                                   |
| Tall Tower Carbon Measurements**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA\'s Earth System Research     |                                   |
| Laboratory (ESRL) operates trace  |                                   |
| gas monitoring sites at tall      |                                   |
| television transmitter towers in  |                                   |
| five states, including            |                                   |
| Massachusetts. The sites were     |                                   |
| established to extend ESRL\'s     |                                   |
| monitoring network into the       |                                   |
| interior of North America in      |                                   |
| order to provide data to aid      |                                   |
| estimation of the net carbon      |                                   |
| balance of the continent.         |                                   |
| Variations of trace gases,        |                                   |
| especially carbon dioxide, are    |                                   |
| largest near the ground, so we    |                                   |
| utilize existing tall (\> 400     |                                   |
| meter) transmitter towers as      |                                   |
| platforms for in situ and flask   |                                   |
| sampling for atmospheric trace    |                                   |
| gases.                            |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://ww                        |                                   |
| w.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/towers/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Scituate***                    |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Law Enforcement**     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Scituate Field Office**         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NMFS Office for Law Enforcement   |                                   |
| is dedicated primarily to the     |                                   |
| enforcement of laws that protect  |                                   |
| and regulate our nation's living  |                                   |
| marine resources and their        |                                   |
| natural habitat. Office for Law   |                                   |
| Enforcement special agents and    |                                   |
| enforcement officers have         |                                   |
| specified authority to enforce    |                                   |
| over 37 statutes, as well as      |                                   |
| numerous treaties related to the  |                                   |
| conservation and protection of    |                                   |
| marine resources and other        |                                   |
| matters of concern to NOAA. From  |                                   |
| the Maine/Canadian border south   |                                   |
| to the southern parts of Virginia |                                   |
| lies one of the largest and       |                                   |
| most-active fishing fleets in the |                                   |
| world. Over 12,000 federally      |                                   |
| licensed commercial fishing       |                                   |
| vessels ply these waters in       |                                   |
| search of scallops, blue fin      |                                   |
| tuna, swordfish, monkfish,        |                                   |
| lobster and Atlantic cod.         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| In the Northeast Division, the    |                                   |
| special agents and support        |                                   |
| personnel monitor thousands of    |                                   |
| recreational fishing vessels, 43  |                                   |
| major seafood ports, 12 major     |                                   |
| seafood exchanges, 21 major       |                                   |
| international airports, and eight |                                   |
| major entry stations from Canada. |                                   |
| The Office for Law Enforcement    |                                   |
| Northeast Division is also        |                                   |
| responsible for enforcement       |                                   |
| activities within NOAA's          |                                   |
| Stellwagen Bank National Marine   |                                   |
| Sanctuary off Massachusetts and   |                                   |
| Thunder Bay National Marine       |                                   |
| Sanctuary in Michigan. The        |                                   |
| Northeast Division has a vast     |                                   |
| assortment of missions to enforce |                                   |
| laws across 84,000 miles of open  |                                   |
| water in the EEZ that are home to |                                   |
| multiple endangered species       |                                   |
| including the critically          |                                   |
| endangered Northern Right Whale.  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nmf                   |                                   |
| s.noaa.gov/ole/ne_northeast.html> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Sanctuary       |                                   |
| Program**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank |                                   |
| National Marine Sanctuary**       |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Situated in Massachusetts Bay     |                                   |
| between Cape Ann and Cape Cod is  |                                   |
| Stellwagen Bank National Marine   |                                   |
| Sanctuary, a glacially formed     |                                   |
| plateau of sand, gravel, silt and |                                   |
| \"rock flour\" and one of the     |                                   |
| most biologically productive      |                                   |
| areas off the New England coast.  |                                   |
| Stellwagen Bank is the most       |                                   |
| prominent sub marine feature in   |                                   |
| Massachusetts Bay, measuring      |                                   |
| approximately 30 kilometers in    |                                   |
| length and 10 kilometers at its   |                                   |
| widest point. The endangered      |                                   |
| Northern right whale, humpback    |                                   |
| whale and fin whale utilize the   |                                   |
| sanctuary as summer feeding       |                                   |
| grounds and also sustain a        |                                   |
| successful whale watching         |                                   |
| industry In Eastern               |                                   |
| Massachusetts. In addition to     |                                   |
| popular marine mammals, the       |                                   |
| Sanctuary provides vital habitat  |                                   |
| for important commercial          |                                   |
| groundfish species such as cod,   |                                   |
| haddock, pollock and flounder.    |                                   |
| Headquarters for the sanctuary is |                                   |
| located in Scituate.              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/>     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Waquoit***                     |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Ocean Service (NOS)**  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Ocean and Coastal     |                                   |
| Resource Management**             |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Waquoit Bay National Estuarine  |                                   |
| Research Reserve**                |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Midway between the towns of       |                                   |
| Falmouth- and Mashpee on the      |                                   |
| south shore of Cape Cod, the      |                                   |
| Waquoit Bay Reserve includes a    |                                   |
| beach, a 200 hectare state park   |                                   |
| recreation area, Washburn Island  |                                   |
| with 11 camp sites and the Swift  |                                   |
| Estate headquarters. An 180       |                                   |
| hectare riverine pitch pine/scrub |                                   |
| oak uplands track protects the    |                                   |
| watershed. Key species include    |                                   |
| the Piping plover, Least tern,    |                                   |
| Sandplain gerardia, Alewife,      |                                   |
| Winter flounder, and the Blue     |                                   |
| crab. There are evening programs  |                                   |
| and interpretive walks.           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <h                                |                                   |
| ttp://nerrs.noaa.gov/WaquoitBay/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| ***Woods Hole***                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Cooperative Institutes**        |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Cooperative Institute for       |                                   |
| Climate and Ocean Research        |                                   |
| (CICOR)**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| CICOR was established at the      |                                   |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic          |                                   |
| Institution (WHOI) in August      |                                   |
| 1998. CICOR provides a framework  |                                   |
| at WHOI for coordinating          |                                   |
| NOAA-funded research, to build    |                                   |
| ties between WHOI investigators   |                                   |
| and colleagues at NOAA            |                                   |
| laboratories, and for developing  |                                   |
| cooperative NOAA-funded research  |                                   |
| at academic institutions in the   |                                   |
| northeastern United States. At    |                                   |
| the same time CICOR provides NOAA |                                   |
| investigators with access to WHOI |                                   |
| facilities, including 4 ships and |                                   |
| 2 submersibles (one manned and    |                                   |
| one operated remotely), and the   |                                   |
| Northeast National Ion Microprobe |                                   |
| Facility. Major research and      |                                   |
| planning activities have been     |                                   |
| carried out in partnership with   |                                   |
| several NOAA laboratories (e.g.,  |                                   |
| Atlantic Oceanographic and        |                                   |
| Meteorological Laboratory,        |                                   |
| Pacific Marine Environmental      |                                   |
| Laboratory, and Earth System      |                                   |
| Research Laboratory) as well as   |                                   |
| other NOAA research units (e.g.,  |                                   |
| Northeast Fisheries Science       |                                   |
| Center, Climate Program Office,   |                                   |
| and the Center for Sponsored      |                                   |
| Coastal Ocean Research). CICOR    |                                   |
| research focuses on three themes: |                                   |
| (1) coastal ocean and near-shore  |                                   |
| processes; (2) oceanic            |                                   |
| participation in climate and      |                                   |
| climate variability; and (3)      |                                   |
| marine ecosystem processes        |                                   |
| analysis.                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <h                                |                                   |
| ttp://www.whoi.edu/science/cicor> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Marine and Aviation   |                                   |
| Operations (OMAO)**               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Port Office - Woods Hole**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **NOAA Ships *Albatross IV* and   |                                   |
| *Delaware II***                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| The NOAA ships *Albatross IV*     |                                   |
| **and** *Delaware II* are managed |                                   |
| by NOAA's Marine Operations       |                                   |
| Center-Atlantic in Norfolk,       |                                   |
| Virginia. The ships support the   |                                   |
| science and research missions of  |                                   |
| NOAA's Northeast Fisheries        |                                   |
| Science Center and its supporting |                                   |
| laboratories. The ships are       |                                   |
| homeported at the Northeast       |                                   |
| Marine Support Facility in Woods  |                                   |
| Hole. The Port Captain provides   |                                   |
| operational, administrative and   |                                   |
| logistical support to the ships.  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| [h                                |                                   |
| ttp://www.moc.noaa.gov/al/index.h |                                   |
| tml](http://www.moc.noaa.gov/al/) |                                   |
| and                               |                                   |
| <htt                              |                                   |
| p://www.moc.noaa.gov/de>[/index.h |                                   |
| tml](http://www.moc.noaa.gov/al/) |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Region**              |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Fisheries Science     |                                   |
| Center**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Northeast Fisheries        |                                   |
| Science Center (Center) is        |                                   |
| located in Woods Hole, along with |                                   |
| its Woods Hole Laboratory. The    |                                   |
| Center provides overall           |                                   |
| management and direction for five |                                   |
| laboratories and its field        |                                   |
| station located in the Northeast  |                                   |
| Region. Research activities are   |                                   |
| focused on collection, analysis,  |                                   |
| and presentation of scientific    |                                   |
| information about the Northeast   |                                   |
| Shelf ecosystem and its marine    |                                   |
| life, which serves as a basis for |                                   |
| policy decisions governing the    |                                   |
| use of living resources in the    |                                   |
| region's federal ocean waters,    |                                   |
| large-scale ecosystem monitoring, |                                   |
| aquaculture, nearshore            |                                   |
| anthropogenic influences on       |                                   |
| important fish habitats, and the  |                                   |
| systematics and taxonomy of       |                                   |
| fishes, squids, crustaceans and   |                                   |
| corals.                           |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/>      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Fisheries Science     |                                   |
| Center**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Woods Hole Laboratory**         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NOAA's Northeast Fisheries        |                                   |
| Science Center's Woods Hole       |                                   |
| Laboratory is the nation's        |                                   |
| original Federal marine fisheries |                                   |
| laboratory. Its staff conducts    |                                   |
| some of the world's               |                                   |
| longest-running comprehensive     |                                   |
| standardized at-sea surveys       |                                   |
| monitoring ocean conditions and   |                                   |
| marine life populations. Its      |                                   |
| scientists also study the life    |                                   |
| and population dynamics of        |                                   |
| important fish and shellfish      |                                   |
| species, and of marine mammals.   |                                   |
| The laboratory is home to NMFS    |                                   |
| largest staff of social           |                                   |
| scientists that study the fishery |                                   |
| industry and business, and to one |                                   |
| of the nation's busiest at-sea    |                                   |
| fishery observer programs. It is  |                                   |
| also the homeport for three       |                                   |
| fishery research vessels: the     |                                   |
| NOAA ships *Albatross IV* and     |                                   |
| *Delaware II*, and the 65-ft      |                                   |
| Center research vessel Gloria     |                                   |
| Michelle.                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www                       |                                   |
| .nefsc.nmfs.gov/nefsc/woodshole/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Marine Fisheries       |                                   |
| Service (NMFS)**                  |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Northeast Fisheries Science     |                                   |
| Center**                          |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Woods Hole Science Aquarium**   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| NMFS and its predecessor agencies |                                   |
| have operated the Woods Hole      |                                   |
| Science Aquarium since 1885. It   |                                   |
| is the nation's oldest research   |                                   |
| display aquarium. It is open to   |                                   |
| the public free of charge,        |                                   |
| year-round, and serves            |                                   |
| approximately 100,000 visitors    |                                   |
| annually. The Aquarium houses     |                                   |
| approximately 140 species of fish |                                   |
| and invertebrates common to the   |                                   |
| northeast continental shelf,      |                                   |
| unreleasable seals rescued by     |                                   |
| NOAA's Marine Mammal Health and   |                                   |
| Stranding Response Network, and,  |                                   |
| on occasion, formerly stranded    |                                   |
| sea turtles entering the final    |                                   |
| stages of rehabilitation before   |                                   |
| reintroduction to the wild. In    |                                   |
| addition to the living exhibits,  |                                   |
| there are displays on NOAA        |                                   |
| Fisheries Service research in the |                                   |
| region, the life history of       |                                   |
| important species, and the        |                                   |
| history of Woods Hole as a        |                                   |
| science community.                |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://ww                        |                                   |
| w.nefsc.nmfs.gov/nefsc/aquarium/> |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Office of Oceanic and           |                                   |
| Atmospheric Research (OAR)**      |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **National Sea Grant College      |                                   |
| Program**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Woods Hole Oceanographic        |                                   |
| Institution Sea Grant Program**   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| Massachusetts is served by the    |                                   |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic          |                                   |
| Institution Sea Grant Program.    |                                   |
| Research targets estuarine and    |                                   |
| coastal processes, fisheries and  |                                   |
| aquaculture, and environmental    |                                   |
| technology. Projects in those     |                                   |
| themes include: phytoplankton     |                                   |
| blooms, groundwater inputs to     |                                   |
| estuaries, enhanced management of |                                   |
| the squid fishery through         |                                   |
| molecular genetics, and species   |                                   |
| differences in contaminant        |                                   |
| susceptibility.                   |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| <http://www.whoi.edu/seagrant>    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **NOAA's Office of Legislative    |                                   |
| Affairs**                         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| **Tel: 202-482-4981               |                                   |
| [ht                               |                                   |
| tp://www.legislative.noaa.gov](ht |                                   |
| tp://www.legislative.noaa.gov/)** |                                   |
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