B. Increased preservation of existing submerged land habitat
1. Change public understanding of submerged land habitat value
2. Preserve areas identified as important habitat - MPA’s
3. Enforce regulations to protect benthic
habitat, such as no wake zones
|
EXISTING PROGRAMS: 1.
Outreach
·
Bay Program website
for benthic resources ·
Baylor Grounds maps ·
Citizen Watershed
groups ·
Habitat Enhancement
– ·
SAV maps –VIMS ·
Virginia Oyster
Heritage Program 2. Regulation ·
Marine Protected
Areas -VMRC ·
VMRC Enforcement N/A 3. Monitoring ·
·
4. Planning/coordination · CBP Environmental Endpoints · Elizabeth River Action Plan · Habitat Management Advisory Committee – VMRC 5. Research · Comprehensive Coastal Inventory –VIMS · Natural Heritage Inventory- DCR N/A
|
MISSING ELEMENTS: 1. Outreach ·
2. Regulation ·
3. Authority ·
Authorize
establishment of no wake zones for ecological reasons 4. Monitoring ·
Establish/maintain inventory
of submerged bottom types, sensitive areas, shallow water bathymetry, MPA’s,
aquaculture activities ·
Develop
classification of habitat types in the Bay ·
5.
Planning/coordination
· Coordinate management of riparian lands with management of shallow submerged lands 6.
Research · Expand knowledge of values of submerged land habitat ·
7.
Definition of
management targets |
