Goals & Objectives
After receiving input from the public, the Northeast Regional Planning Body approved goals and objectives for the region’s ocean plan. The Framework for Ocean Planning in the Northeastern United States (PFD) (33pp, 791K) specifies these goals and objectives along with actions, outcomes, tasks, and timelines.
Goal: Healthy Ocean and Coastal Ecosystems
- Characterize the region’s ecosystem, economy, and cultural resources.
- Identify and support existing non-regulatory opportunities to work toward conserving, restoring, and maintaining healthy ecosystems.
- Produce a regional ocean science plan that prioritizes ocean science and data needs for the region for the next five years.
Goal: Effective Decision-Making
- Coordinate existing federal and state decision-making processes.
- Implement specific actions to enhance public input in decision-making.
- Incorporate maps and other products into agency decision-making processes.
- Improve respect for the customs and traditions of indigenous peoples in decision-making processes.
- Improve coordination with local communities in decision-making processes.
Goal: Compatibility Among Past, Current, and Future Ocean Uses
- Increase understanding of past, current, and future interactions among ocean uses and the ocean and coastal ecosystem.
- Ensure that regional issues are incorporated in ongoing efforts to assess new and existing human activities.
All Goals
- Periodically assess progress toward achieving regional ocean planning goals