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HomeAboutNOS Fiscal Year 2016 Year in Review

# National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science

## NOS Fiscal Year 2016 Year in Review

## Promoting Nature-based Shorelines to Protect the Coast

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: coastal resilience 

Aerial view of nature-based shoreline at NOAA laboratory on Pivers Island in Beaufort, North Carolina, in 2014. The shoreline, constructed from salt marsh plants and submerged oyster reef, was planted in 2000 and has successfully prevented erosion of the lawn behind the marsh

Hardened erosion control techniques, such as bulkheads and  seawalls, often accelerate shoreline erosion and destroy the habitat of  economically important fisheries and other wildlife. Nature-based shoreline  stabilization options, like marsh grass and oyster reefs, offer erosion control  while maintaining normal ecosystem functions. 

In 2016, NCCOS co-authored the NOAA publication, *Guidance  for Considering the Use of Living Shorelines*, which encourages nature-based  shoreline stabilization techniques and highlights NOAA science, tools, and  training that support such techniques. The publication has been shared with  local, state, and federal coastal managers. NCCOS scientists quantified the  amount of carbon stored in living shorelines, showing they can make a valuable  contribution to carbon dioxide reduction strategies.   

Also in 2016, NCCOS, along with other NOAA National Ocean  Service offices, began a partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to  identify, prioritize, and implement projects that advance natural shoreline  science and engineering practices. The group established a collaboration  framework and produced a report that documents key data gaps and work  priorities based on the inputs of over 40 cross-agency experts. The partnership  is an extension of NOAA’s commitment to help coastal communities plan for and  mitigate the effects of extreme weather events and changing ocean conditions. 

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## Maps of Living Marine Resources Support Development of Offshore Renewable Energy  

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: place-based conservation 

Modeled long-term relative abundance of Humpback whale around Main Hawaiian Islands in winter.  Credit: NOAA and University of Hawaii at Manoa

NOAA continues to work closely with the Bureau of Ocean  Energy Management (BOEM) to develop mapping products that support ocean energy  development. Accurate maps and predictions of living marine resource  distributions facilitate planning that reduces potential conflicts between  human uses and sensitive marine ecosystem components needed for healthy and  resilient coastal communities and economies. 

In 2016, NCCOS scientists published an environmental  assessment of the distribution of marine animals and benthic habitats around  the main Hawaiian Islands, with special consideration given to species likely  to interact with renewable energy infrastructure. These data will serve as  foundational material for BOEM’s renewable energy leasing process and help  identify potential issues for future National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)  analysis as Hawaii strives to generate 100 percent of its electricity from  renewable energy sources by 2045. 

Also in 2016, NCCOS and BOEM published an ecological study  of the seafloor in a proposed offshore wind energy area off the coast of North  Carolina. BOEM used these findings to modify the size and boundaries of the  original area of interest to minimize possible impacts to sensitive reef and  fishery habitats.  

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## NCCOS Tools and Expertise Help U.S. Aquaculture Industry Expand

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: Coastal Intelligence 

Oyster harvesting in Long Island Sound

Offshore aquaculture is a promising new frontier for U.S  seafood production. However, the growth of this industry has been constrained  by concerns about negative environmental effects of improperly sited farms. In  response, NCCOS and NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management partnered to develop a  new, offshore aquaculture planning tool, CanVis.  This seascape visualization tool contains an image library of aquaculture gear,  vessels, buoys, and other infrastructure that can be used to simulate the  changes that result from aquaculture development. Coastal managers and  developers in Hawaii, California, and Washington are currently using this tool  to visualize and plan offshore aquaculture projects. 

In 2016, NCCOS demonstrated that oyster aquaculture can  improve water quality as well as meet the demand for seafood. Oysters are  filter feeders that remove nutrients from the water. Working with partners, we combined models on shellfish growth and nitrogen removal  to determine the nitrogen removal potential of Long Island Sound’s existing and  potential oyster aquaculture industry. Using economic analysis to determine the  value of the ecosystem service provided by the oyster aquaculture industry, we  found that both the cost and removal efficiency of nitrogen through shellfish  aquaculture compare favorably to removal by existing agricultural and  stormwater Best Management Practices. Also in 2016, NCCOS initiated  similar projects in the Chesapeake Bay and Oyster Bay, Florida.

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## Better Coordination, Forecasts, and Seafood Monitoring Tools for Harmful Algal Blooms 

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: Coastal Intelligence 

 Scientists at the Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Regulatory Laboratory use NCCOS-developed assay to detect paralytic shellfish toxins

NCCOS continues to improve the nation’s ability to forecast,  detect, and mitigate the impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs). In 2016, we  identified the most pressing science needs in the Harmful Algal Blooms and  Hypoxia Comprehensive Research Plan and Action Strategy, an interagency  report co-authored by NCCOS and delivered to Congress. 

NCCOS and its partners deliver HAB forecasts for Lake Erie,  the Gulf of Maine, and the Gulf of Mexico. This year, the team improved the  early season projections for Lake Erie (first tried in 2015) by adding a Maumee  River flow forecast model from the National Weather Service. This model  substantially reduced the uncertainty of those projections, which began almost  two months prior to the final seasonal forecast.  We also established an initial operating capability at NOAA’s Center for  Operational Oceanographic Products and Services for production of the  twice-weekly Lake Erie HAB bulletin. Final operating capability will be  established next year. 

In Alaska, NCCOS scientists trained staff at the Sitka Tribe  of Alaska Environmental Regulatory Laboratory on the extraction and detection  of paralytic shellfish toxins. The NCCOS-developed assay taught is a new method  recently accepted by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference that can  help secure the food supply against these potent algal-based toxins.

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## Climate Change Community Vulnerability Assessments in the Chesapeake Bay

            -  **Supports NOS priority**: coastal resilience 

Coastal flooding in Oxford, Maryland, in 2016

Vulnerability  assessments consider a broad range of ecological, social, economic and cultural  components, and examine how these components might be affected by specific  climate change scenarios. These assessments can give coastal communities the  information needed to address climate-related hazards, such as storm surge and  sea level rise, and to identify adaptation strategies. 

In 2016, social science researchers at NCCOS completed a  vulnerability assessment for Talbot County and the Town of Oxford, Maryland in  the Chesapeake Bay region. The team examined both environmental and social  vulnerability using data collected on population demographics, economic  characteristics, distribution of natural resources, and features of commercial  and residential structures. These vulnerabilities were investigated alongside  various flood hazard risks, including stormwater flooding, storm surge, and sea  level rise. The results of the assessment will be used by the community to  inform adaptation planning and corresponding management actions. 

  Following the success of this first vulnerability assessment, the researchers  have already begun work on the next study area: the Choptank River Habitat  Focus Area, which spans four counties in Maryland and one in Delaware.

###### NCCOS **Highlights**

            - **Promoting Nature-based Shorelines to Protect the Coast
            - ** Maps of Living Marine Resources Support Development of Offshore Renewable Energy SUPPORTS 
            - **NCCOS Tools and Expertise Help U.S. Aquaculture Industry Expand
            - **Better Coordination, Forecasts, and Seafood Monitoring Tools for Harmful Algal Blooms SUPPORTS
            - ** Climate Change Community Vulnerability Assessments in the Chesapeake Bay

###### **NOS Accomplishments**

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