Stakeholders

There are multiple other manager and stakeholder entities with which regional programs have engaged with as part of inclusive community implementation of the IEA approach for specific management efforts.

These include but are not limited to:

• Regional Planning Bodies (i.e. Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Regional Planning Bodies/ regional ocean councils)
• Tribal governments or local community organizations
• Non-governmental organizations (e.g. Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy)
• Other federal partners (e.g. National Parks Service, Environmental Protection Agency, Army Corps of Engineers)

Northeast IEA collaborates with Northeast Regional Planning Body

Goal: Characterize and map marine life in the Northeast region

In 2016 the Northeast NOAA Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (NEIEA) Program provide additional support to aid in development of digital species map products at the request of the Northeast Regional Planning Body (NE RPB) to support the Northeast Ocean Plan. The NEIEA program collaborated with research groups to produce “base layer” predictive model products with associated uncertainty products for 29 marine mammal species or species guilds and 40 avian species, and three geospatial products for 82 fish species. Marine mammal and avian products are habitat-based density estimates, incorporating several physical or biological habitat parameters, and were created for the whole US east coast. These products provided a means to distill hundreds of data layer and time period combinations into more simplified maps that supplement the base layer reference library. These summary products included total abundance or biomass, species richness, diversity, and core area abundance or biomass richness for all modeled/sampled groups of species and are useful tools for seeing broad patterns in the underlying data or model results. See the data products here.

Red Tides Impact More Than Just Fish

Massive fish die-offs were just one of many concerns fishermen raised with NOAA scientists during workshops held in the summer of 2018. Fishermen described how the spread of toxic algae otherwise known as a “Red Tide” event along the west coast of Florida is impacting many parts of their lives including local business. This made it clear the issue was bigger than just fish die-offs and requires a solution that is bigger than just conserving fish populations. An ecosystem-wide approach can provide such a solution. NOAA scientists are using NOAA's Integrated Ecosystem Assessment approach to address the issue. 

As the IEA approach continues to gain visibility and trust, the NOAA IEA program welcomes dialog with new, as well as existing, partners. If you are interested in learning more about any regional IEA program please use the contact form to reach out.