Summary of Actions in NY Ocean Action Plan
This matrix represents a summary of the 61 actions outlined in the Ocean Action Plan. Included is a brief description, as well as suggested lead agencies, potential partners, milestones, and their implementation status as of September 1, 2017.
A printable version (PDF, 65KB) is also available.
| Action | Description | Lead | Potential Partners | Milestones | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Evaluate, prioritize and remove or modify known impediments to diadromous fish passage. | DEC | ASMFC, NOAA, USFWS, OPRHP, SSER, PEP, LISS, HREP, WCS and MRAC | Short term | Initiated |
| 2 | Develop a seagrass management program that will implement seagrass management plans for designated seagrass management areas. | DEC, DOS | NOAA, NPS, OPRHP, municipalities and the Shinnecock Indian Nation | Short term | Initiated |
| 3 | Monitor tidal wetland loss (trends), water quality and implement restoration in Long Island estuaries and embayments. | DEC, USGS | NPS, OPRHP, SUNY SB, TNC, LISS, EPA, NOAA, USFWS, and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation | Short term | Initiated |
| 4 | Strengthen criteria for designation of significant coastal fish and wildlife habitats (SCFWH) and designate new areas as SCFWH in state waters (0-3 nautical miles). | DOS, DEC | NPS, NYSERDA, OPRHP, NOAA, USFWS, MRAC, WCS and the Shinnecock Indian Nation | Short term | Initiated |
| 5 | Implement the Long Island Pesticide Pollution Prevention Strategy to protect groundwater and surface water resources from pesticide-related contamination. | DOH, DEC | Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS), Suffolk County Soil and Water District, Nassau County Department of Health, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County (CCE), DAM, EPA, USGS, Long Island Farm Bureau and the Shinnecock Indian Nation | Short term | Not funded |
| 6 | Recommend solutions for reducing contaminants of emerging concern. | DEC | USGS, NPS, DOH, RFMRP, Shinnecock Indian Nation and local municipalities | Short term | Initiated |
| 7 | Evaluate impacts from two sewage treatment outfalls located in ocean waters. | DEC, DOS | NYC DEP, SUNY SB, Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Near term | Initiated |
| 8 | Develop strategies to reduce pollutant and nutrient loads from onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) into the Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve (SSER). | DEC, DOS, DOH, EFC, municipalities | NPS, EPA, NYC DEP, local watershed groups, and DAM | Short term | Initiated |
| 9 | Reduce bycatch in New York fisheries. | DEC, NOAA | ASMFC, MAFMC, SUNY SB, and CCE | Short term | Partially funded |
| 10 | Create an inshore trawl survey and monitoring program. | DEC | NOAA, NEAMAP, ASMFC, NPS and SUNY SB | Short term | Initiated |
| 11 | Develop and implement a cooperative fisheries research program for state waters. | DEC | NOAA, MAFMC, ASMFC, USFWS, Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species, New York Sea Grant, SUNY SB, CCE, NY Marine Science Consortium and the Shinnecock Indian Nation | Short term | Not funded |
| 12 | Monitor abundances for both species of river herring, alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) and blueback (Alosa aestivalis), in the Hudson River estuary. | DEC | SUNY ESF, ASMFC, and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (MA DWF) | Short term | Initiated |
| 13 | Monitor distribution and habitat requirements of Atlantic surfclams in New York State waters. | DEC | SUNY SB | Short term | Partially funded |
| 14 | Investigate population declines of American lobster inshore, offshore and in estuaries. | DEC | ASMFC, CCE, SUNY SB, and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) | Short term | Actively seeking funding |
| 15 | Monitor Ocean Acidification and investigate the impacts of ocean acidification on shellfish and crustaceans. | DEC | NOAA, Mid Atlantic Regional Planning Body, MARACOOS, NPS, SUNY SB, Shinnecock Indian Nation, and municipalities | Short term | Initiated |
| 16 | Assess blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) abundance and life history characteristics and predict future population trends in Great South Bay and other marine waters. | DEC | NPS, SUNY SB, and University of Maryland-Chesapeake Biological Laboratory | Short term | Initiated |
| 17 | Monitor whelk abundance and movements inshore, offshore and in estuaries. | DEC | SUNY SB and CCE | Near term | Not funded |
| 18 | Investigate Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrhynchus) habitat association in the Hudson River, inshore, offshore and in estuaries. | DEC | NOAA, USFWS, USGS, SUNY SB, and Delaware State University | Near term | Initiated |
| 19 | Design and implement a monitoring survey to determine baseline trends for large whales in the New York Bight. | DEC | NOAA, US NAVY, USFWS, AMAPPS, BOEM, DOS, NY Natural Heritage Program, Cornell University, RFMRP,SUNY SB, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Initiated |
| 20 | Design and implement long-term monitoring surveys for large whales to mitigate the impacts of human activities and for effective conservation planning. | DEC | NOAA, BOEM, US NAVY, USFWS, ASMFC, MAFMA, DOS, NYSERDA, PANYNJ, USCG, Harbor Ops Committee, New York Shipping Association, Pilots Associations, Riverhead Foundation, New York Aquariums, WHOI, Cornell University, SUNY SB, WCS and NGOs. | Near term | Not funded |
| 21 | Design and implement a monitoring survey for Sea Turtles in the New York Bight. | DEC | RFMRP, NOAA, and SUNY SB | Near term | Partially funded |
| 22 | Monitor distribution and relative abundance of finfish, large pelagics, and endangered and threatened marine species inshore, offshore and in estuaries. | DEC, DOS | BOEM, NOAA, SUNY SB, RFMRP and WCS | Near term | Actively seeking funding |
| 23 | Expand the New York Natural Heritage Program to include additional marine species and offshore habitats. | NHP | DEC, SUNY ESF, and WCS | Short term | Initiated |
| 24 | Evaluate horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) abundance and connectivity inshore, offshore and in estuaries. | DEC | NPS, SUNY SB and CCE | Short term | Initiated |
| 25 | Reduce the incidental catch of marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds and Atlantic sturgeon. | DEC | Delaware State University, SUNY SB, NOAA, ASMFC, TNC, CCE, RFMRP, WCS and NGOs | Near term | Partially funded |
| 26 | Establish an aquatic invasive species monitoring network for the ocean. | DEC | USFWS, Mid-Atlantic Panel on Aquatic Invasive Species, OPRHP, WCS, Other state wildlife agencies, EPA, NOAA, Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Near term | Actively seeking funding |
| 27 | Examine predator-prey dynamics within foraging hotspots located in estuaries, inshore, and offshore. | NOAA, DEC | SUNY SB, SUNY ESF, ASMFC, MAFMC, WCS and NGOs | Near term | Not funded |
| 28 | Investigate natural and anthropogenic factors that are potentially contributing to winter flounder declines within New York embayments. | SUNY SB, DEC | NOAA, ASMFC and MAFMC | Near term | Not funded |
| 29 | Increase New York's participation at regional and interstate fisheries management meetings. | DEC | ASMFC, NOAA, USFWS, MAFMC, NEFMC | Short term | Not funded |
| 30 | Promote improved management of deep-sea corals and sponges within the New York Bight. | NOAA | MAFMC, BOEM, DOS, DEC, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Initiated |
| 31 | Integrate avian conservation into research, management and offshore planning. | DEC, NALCC, NYSERDA | BRI, USFWS, BOEM, NOAA, USGS, NPS, DOS, OPRHP, CUNY, Audubon New York, NHP, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Not funded |
| 32 | Establish a baseline ocean monitoring system for the New York Bight. | DEC, DOS | NOAA, BOEM, USGS, USEPA,USACE, NYSERDA, NYSG, Academia, USGCRP, CCE, Shinnecock Indian Nation, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Initiated |
| 33 | Develop an ocean indicators system or the New York Bight. | DEC | DOS, NYSERDA, NYSG, Academia, USGCRP, NOAA, USGS, USACE, EPA, BOEM, Shinnecock Indian Nation, NGOs, and estuary programs | Short term | Initiated |
| 34 | Publish a State of the Ocean report. | DEC, DOS | NOAA, USEPA, USGS, BOEM, USACE, New Jersey, NYSERDA, NYMSC, NYSG, SUNY SB, WCS and NGOs | Near term | Initiated |
| 35 | Assemble and analyze resource and use data for offshore planning. | DOS | DEC, NYSERDA, PSC, OPRHP, PANYNJ, NY Natural Heritage Program, Harbor Ops, Shinnecock Indian Nation, BOEM, NOAA, USFWS, US NAVY, USCG, EPA, USACE, ASMFC, MAFMC, municipalities, CCE, NGOs, Stone Environmental Inc., New England Aquarium and University of Rhode Island, NROC, MARCO. | Short term | Initiated |
| 36 | Identify essential ecosystem services in the New York Bight and assess their vulnerability to impacts from human activities and climate change. | Academia | DEC, DOS, BOEM, NOAA, USGS, EPA, other federal agencies, MAFMC, WCS, NGOs and Shinnecock Indian Nation | Near term | Not funded |
| 37 | Develop and evaluate alternative future use scenarios and tradeoffs between ecosystem services and ocean use. | Academia | DEC, DOS, BOEM, NOAA, USGS, EPA, other federal agencies, MAFMC, and Shinnecock Indian Nation | Near term | Not funded |
| 38 | Identify goals for environmental assessments to better understand effects of offshore renewable energy development on wildlife. | NYSERDA | DEC, DOS, USFWS, NOAA, BOEM, USGS, CCE, Biodiversity Research Institute, WCS and NGOS | Short term | Initiated |
| 39 | Assess the effectiveness of BMPs and other measures used to mitigate adverse effects of anthropogenic sources of underwater noise. | NOAA | BOEM, USACE, PANYNJ, DEC, DOS, NYSERDA, WCS, and NGOs | Short term | Partially funded |
| 40 | Represent New York's interests in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Body (MidA RPB) ocean planning process. | DOS, DEC | Mid Atlantic Regional Planning Body, New England Regional Planning Body, Long Island Sound Blue Plan Advisory Committee | Short term | Initiated |
| 41 | Develop of New York aquaculture policy and improve the regulatory framework to promote sustainable best management practices. | DAM, DEC | NOAA, DOS, DOH, OGS, ESD, NYSG, NY Aquaculture Industry, Long Island Farm Bureau, East Coast Shellfish Growers Association (ECSGA), Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Short term | Not funded |
| 42 | Support the New York artificial reef program and identify suitable sites for future reef placement. | DEC | SBU, USACE, NOAA, OGS, DOS, NYSG | Short term | Partially funded |
| 43 | Promote and develop New York's existing ocean economy and identify new opportunities for growth in New York's working waterfronts. | DOS | NOAA, OPRHP, GOSR, NYS REDCs, PANYNJ, ESD, PANYNJ, DEC, NYSERDA, NYS DOT, USACE, NYC DCP, and CCE | Near term | Initiated |
| 44 | Assess and predict the vulnerability of the coastal areas to climate change. | DEC | EPA, NYS RISE, NOAA, USFWS, NPS, DOS, Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System, HRNERR, NYSERDA,OPRHP, NYCDEP, LISS, NYC DPR, NYC DCP, Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Short term | Initiated |
| 45 | Identify, assess and prioritize flood-prone areas at risk due to climate change | DOS, DEC | NYSERDA, NYS RISE, USGS, NOAA, EPA, OPRHP, NYSERDA, SUNY SB, NYSG, NYC DCP, Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Near term | Initiated |
| 46 | Examine the impacts of increased coastal flooding and sea-level rise on wastewater, stormwater and other vulnerable infrastructure in New York City and Long Island. | DEC, DOH | NYS RISE, USGS, EPA, OPRHP, DOT, DOS, NYSERDA, EFC, PANYNJ, MTA, NYSG, NYC DCP, Shinnecock Indian Nation, municipalities, WCS and NGOs | Near term | Not funded |
| 47 | Support the use of living shorelines as a tool to reduce coastal erosion and flooding while providing better environmental services. | DEC, DOS | USACE, USEPA, OPRHP, SUNY SB, NYSG, NYC, HRNERR, NOAA, DCP,municipalities and Shinnecock Indian Nation | Near term | Initiated |
| 48 | Evaluate and periodically revise the breach contingency plan. | USACE, DEC, DOS | SUNY SB, OPRHP, NPS, USGS, USEPA and OGS | Near term | Initiated |
| 49 | Update current community planning practices to include coastal resiliency strategies that effectively minimize the impacts of extreme weather events and sea-level rise. | DOS, DEC | USEPA, NYSERDA, NYS RISE, OPRHP, NYSG, Consortium for Climate Risk in the Urban Northeast, NOAA, USGS, EPA, Shinnecock Indian Nation, municipalities, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Not funded |
| 50 | Encourage Long Island municipalities to participate in the Climate Smart Communities Program. | DEC, municipalities | DOS, NYSERDA, DOT, DOH, and PSC | Short term | Initiated |
| 51 | Improve policies for sediment resource management, particularly for dredging and use of clean dredged sand from state waters. | DEC, DOS, USACE | BOEM, NPS, OPRHP, OGS, NYC DCP, NGOs, Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Short term | Not funded |
| 52 | Identify and assess sand resources within state and federal waters. | DOS, BOEM, DEC, USACE, SUNY SB | NPS, OGS, OPRHP | Short term | Partially funded |
| 53 | Develop a formal stakeholder engagement process for promoting the ocean action plan's long-term agenda. | DEC, DOS | NYMSC, NYSG, SUNY SB, WCS, USACE, and NGOs | Short term | Actively seeking funding |
| 54 | Establish an ocean advisory committee. | DEC, DOS | NYMSC, NYSG, SUNY SB, Shinnecock Indian Reservation, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Actively seeking funding |
| 55 | Establish a biannual OAP stakeholder workshop | DEC, DOS | NYMSC, NYSG, SUNY SB, WCS, NGOs | Short term | Not funded |
| 56 | Develop a statewide campaign to increase ocean literacy. | DEC | DOS, OPRHP, New York State Museum, NOAA, NPS, Local School Districts, RFMRP, NYSG, NYMSC, NYSMEA, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Not funded |
| 57 | Promote diverse stakeholder participation in ocean outreach and advance awareness of environmental issues in underserved communities. | DEC | NPS, DOS, Shinnecock Indian Nation, NYSG, DOH, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Not funded |
| 58 | Create an updated recreational marine fishing guide. | DEC | NYSG, DOH, WCS, and NGOs | Short term | Not funded |
| 59 | Install 20 informational kiosks at major public recreational fishing access sites. | DEC | OPRHP, NYSG, Shinnecock Indian Nation, municipalities and NGOs | Short term | Partially funded |
| 60 | Develop best management practices to reduce, mitigate or remove marine debris. | NGOs, DEC | NOAA (MDP), OPRHP, NYSG, NYMSC, DOS, USEPA, CCE, American Littoral Society, Shinnecock Indian Nation and municipalities | Short term | Not funded |
| 61 | Promote responsible wildlife viewing activities for marine mammals within the New York Bight. | NYSG, DEC | NGOs, DOS, NOAA, OPRHP, OGS, ESD, Shinnecock Indian Nation, municipalities, WCS and NGOs | Short term | Not funded |