Research Activity Panel: Meeting Minutes
Moss Landing Marine Labs, Shore Lab.- Norte (Hosted by NURP)
Friday  September 13, 1996
09:00 - 12:00

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Introduction of Members and Participants

	a) Members in attendance:
	b) Meeting member substitutions:
	c) Guest attendees:

Members in attendance:
	Greg Cailliet, Moss Landing Marine Labs- Chair
	Rick Starr, U.C. Sea Grant- Vice Chair
	Andrew DeVogelaere, MBNMS- RAP Coordinator

	Jane Caffrey, ESNERR and Foundation
	Steve Eittreim, USGS
	Chris Harrold, Monterey Bay Aquarium 
	Jim Harvey, Moss Landing Marine Labs
	Deborah Johnston, CA DFG/ Monterey
	Rikk Kvitek, CSUMB
	Jennifer Nielsen, for Dennis Powers, Hopkins Marine Station
	Caroline Pomeroy, UCSC/CSUMB
	Mark Stephenson, CDFG/Mar. Pollution Studies Lab
	Geoff Wheat, NOAA/NURP
	Mary Yoklavich, for George Boehlert, NOAA/NMFS/PFEG

Guests:
	Jenny Carless, MBNMS Newsletter
	Jane Delay, MBNMS
	Dick Dugdale, SFSU, Tiburon Center
	Raymond Highsmith, NURP
	Tom Okey, Center for Marine Conservation
	Jack Paris, California State University at Fresno
	Tom Neal, Pelagic Shark Research Foundation
	Catherine Pusateri, Addison, Sesley and Longman
	Rachel Saunders, Center for Marine Conservation
	Sean Van Sommeran, Pelagic Shark Research Foundation

Members not able to attend:
	Patricia Port, Department of the Interior 
	Don Potts, UCSC
	Bruce Robison, MBARI 
	Jan Roletto, GFNMS/CBNMS
	Leslie Rosenfeld, Naval Postgraduate School
	Jim Rote, CSUMB
	Gary Sharp, CIRIOS
	Les Strnad, CA Coastal Commission 
	Karen Worcester, Morro Bay Foundation

CONSENT ITEMS:

Approval of August 1996 minutes (G. Cailliet)
	Minutes were approved after minor changes and clarifications.


PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS

Overview of the National Undersea Research Program (Geoff Wheat and Ray Highsmith)
	The budget of the West Coast Center of NURP is increasing.  This trend may continue 
as more funding decisions and program control are being shifted from the national 
office to the regional centers.
	In 1996, West Coast NURP funded 9 Major Projects and 8 Program Development 
grants.
	In 1997, West Coast NURP has received 30 proposals, 11 of which are directed 
toward the Monterey Bay Initiative.
	Ray Highsmith is approaching the Packard Foundation for a $300,000 match for the 
Monterey Bay Initiative, and has approached the national office of the Sanctuaries and 
Reserves Division for additional match.
	Geoff Wheat gave an update of his summer research on a drill ship project at the Juan 
de Fuca ridge and with Navy remotely operated vehicles.
	For more information on the West Coast National Undersea Research Center, see 
http://www.wcnurc.alaska.edu:8000/

Pelagic Shark Research Foundation Regional Database (Tom Neal)
	The Foundation started to gather data to assist in the management of shark populations 
and to educate the public about sharks.
	One of their many projects is an effort to centralized a shark data set that will be 
accessible to resource managers, research scientists, and the general public.
	Niel asked the RAP to: (1) review the database format, and provide comments on 
where it should be located (2) write a letter of support for the project and (3) assist in 
the development of an oversight committee for the database.
	The RAP was generally supportive of the project and discussed issues of quality 
control, costs of maintaining the database, the role of MBNMS in serving as a clearing 
house for data, and the possible linking of this database with the CSUMB SIVA center 
(as MBNMS has been planning to do with other data bases for resource management).
	The RAP requested a written proposal to review, and Niel agreed to prepare one.
	For more information on the Pelagic Shark Research Foundation, see 
http://www.ugraf.com/pelagic/index.html


BREAK

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Progress on the Sanctuary Currents 97 
1) Ricketts and Science awards (A. De Vogelaere)
	Greg Cailliet will be the recipient of the Ricketts Lecture Award
	Bruce Robison will the recipient of the Science Award
2) Afternoon research session (J. Caffrey)
	There is a draft of the research session and Jane is contacting potential speakers
3) Selection of posters (R. Starr)
	Rick indicated the future need for a poster review committee.  Stay tuned.

Membership Updates (G. Cailliet)
1) Giacomo Bernardi new representative for UCSC
	This change has been made at the request of Gary Griggs
2) Decision on Don Potts as At Large member for continued work with IMBI
	The RAP appreciates Don's past and continuing work on the IMBI and Sanctuary 
Currents 1997.  They encourage his continued attendance at the RAP meeting, and do 
not feel it is necessary to have a formal "At Large" member for the IMBI.
3) Rikk Kvitek new representative for CSUMB
	Rikk Kvitek will be replacing Jim Rote as the regular CSUMB RAP representative.
4) Decision on Jim Rote as a Special Advisor
	It was decided that Jim Rote should continue to serve the RAP under a new category of 
"Special Advisor."  He will not be attending all the meetings but will receive all RAP 
information and be prepared to advise on special issues.  The first project will be for 
Jim to work with Caroline Pomeroy on a history and future vision of research and the 
sanctuary in Monterey Bay.  Michelle Knight will assist in what will largely be an 
interview format.  Because of his extensive institutional memory on regional coastal 
management issues and development of the MBNMS, Les Strnad will also be 
interviewed on the subject.
5) Decision on Gary Sharp's "At Large" membership.
	The RAP directed Andrew to approach Gary on his wishes regarding an At Large 
membership.  Gary has been an active member in the past, with significant input on 
data bases and fishery issues.  The options are for Gary to attend every meeting and be 
listed as an At Large member, or to simply attend as a guest whenever he feels it is 
appropriate.  Another possibility would be to serve as an alternate for CSUMB.
6) Discussion on the term of RAP Chair (Greg Cailliet was elected as the first Chair on 28 
October 1993, and started representing the RAP on the SAC on 30 March 1994).
	The RAP felt Greg should continue as Chair until February 1997, then a decision 
would have to be made regarding the term of the Chair and whether the Chair should be 
the SAC representative as well.
	Because of timing of society meetings and deadlines for assigning new SAC 
memberships, it was requested that this item be placed on the November RAP agenda.

SHORT INFORMATION ITEMS

Verbal items:

Update on recent SAC meetings (G. Cailliet)
	Refer to the SAC minutes on the MBNMS homepage.

Update on recent Manager and Physical Scientist position announcements (G. Cailliet)
	Both positions have closed.
	It was decided that Greg Cailliet should indicate to Deborah Malek (Pacific Branch) and 
Stephanie Thorton (SRD Chief) that the RAP would like to provide input during the 
Sanctuary Manager selection process, and should contact Terry Jackson to give input 
on the Physical Scientist position.

Status of the proposed Underwater Park (R. Starr)
	Rick Starr and Rachel Saunders presented the history and present status of the 
proposed underwater park.
	CMC has prepared a detailed draft proposal that the RAP requested at past meetings.  It 
is now available for RAP comment.
	The RAP decided not to fully endorse the park concept until they had time to review the 
proposal.  Greg Cailliet, Chris Harrold, Caroline Pomeroy, Rick Starr and Mary 
Yoklavich agreed to review the proposal and report back to the RAP.
	Probably the last Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to discuss the park will be 
held on September 20th.  The next step will be to bring the issue before the City 
Councils of Monterey and Pacific Grove.
Written items (no discussion unless there are questions):

NMS Research Reports, see handout (A. De Vogelaere/J. Roletto).

The MBNMS homepage will be undergoing a major overhaul.  Please take the time to 
review the research and other sections of the homepage and send comments to Aaron King 
(aking@lobos.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov).

Written RAP letter of support for Socio-economic organization of the California market 
squid fishery: assessment for optimal resource management.  P.I.s: C. Pomeroy and M. 
FitzSimmons.  RAP reviewer: J. Nielsen.

CINMS has loaned the 56ft Ballena to MBNMS for September 1 - 16.  The vessel is being 
used to do marine mammal surveys, to sample distribution patterns of the scattering layer, 
to correlate prey patch characteristics with marine mammal distributions, and to set up kelp 
forest monitoring sites on the Big Sur coast.  Thanks go to boat operators Terry Jackson, 
Mark Pickett, Scott Kathey and volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard who added these 
duties to their weekends and existing workloads (A. De Vogelaere).

A cruise report and evaluation of the logistics of the 1996  McArthur cruise will be 
presented in October (A. King).

Permit Report (S. Kathey)
	See handout.


Old Business (optional updates):

1) Effects of artificial lights on the deep sea organisms (R. Kochevar)
	The RAP is looking forward to the written report.
2) Elephant Seal population growth at Pt. Piedras Blancas (A. King/J. Harvey)
	No comments.
3) Mussel Watch Program (M. Stephenson)
	The legislative route for funding did not come to fruition, but the state agreed to 
continue funding the program.
4) IMBI (G. Cailliet)
	The Packard Foundation has expressed interest in funding a planning workshop, but 
they are also requesting contributions from other funding agencies.  Don Potts is 
working with UCSC to locate the IMBI center at the Fort Ord property.

New Business
	Jane Caffrey announced that the NERRS will be sponsoring a graduate fellowship 
program.  The fellow will receive $15,000 and will be expected to conduct research at 
the Elkhorn Slough Reserve.  Jane will circulate more information to the RAP on the 
fellowship as it develops.

ADJOURN @ 12:30 PM