elizabeth north, michael wilberg, jeff blair, jeffrey ... · jeff blair, jeffrey cornwell, troy...

Elizabeth North, Michael Wilberg,

Jeff Blair, Jeffrey Cornwell, Troy Hartley, Raleigh Hood, Robert Jones,

Lisa Wainger, Rasika Gawde, Chris Hayes, Melanie Jackson, Taylor Goelz,

Matthew Damiano, Dylan Taillie, Emily Nastase

We are testing a new approach for

developing fishing regulations and

restoration policies that

• are integrated

• meet the needs of major stakeholders

OysterFuturesis a research program

funded by the National Science Foundation

Why did we choose oysters?

Maryland’s oysters and oyster

fishery could use some help…

One year’s worth of shell from

one shucking house

Oysters covered by sediment

More oysters are needed to …

• Support a sustainable wild oyster fishery

• Improve the health of Chesapeake Bay

• Maintain and create jobs

• Stimulate the economy

• Preserve our cultural heritage

• Provide habitat for reef creatures

• Improve water quality

• Enhance recreational fishing opportunities

• Make more oysters

State, federal, waterman and citizen group

partnerships have taken significant steps

toward restoration of oysters …

Paynter Lab

Horn Point

Oyster Hatchery Oyster Recovery Partnership

MD DNR, ACOE, NOAA

CBF, TNC, CCA

Yet there remains significant disagreements

over restoration and management of oysters…

By Alex Mann, August 13, 2017

• focus on collective knowledge

• hold respectful discussions

• find common ground, and

• work together

…. and create management solutions

that will last

Therefore, a new process could help to:

Method: apply the FishSmart process to oysters

Jeff Blair, Tom Ihde, Robert

Jones, Tom Miller, David

Secor, Mike Wilberg

Stakeholder-centered process

Stakeholders propose

objectives, options,

and performance measures

Stakeholders

Stakeholder-centered process

Stakeholders propose

objectives, options,

and performance measures

Model development

and modification

Stakeholders

Scientists

Stakeholder-centered process

Stakeholders propose

objectives, options,

and performance measures

Revise options and

performance

measures

Model development

and modification

Stakeholders

ScientistsReview

model results

Stakeholder-centered process

Stakeholders propose

objectives, options,

and performance measures

Revise options and

performance

measures

Model development

and modification

Stakeholders

Make

recommendations

to managers

ScientistsReview

model results

Goal: test the FishSmart process by

developing recommendations for

oyster policies and management that

meet the needs of industry, citizen,

and government stakeholders in the

Choptank and Little Choptank Rivers.

Elizabeth North

Jeff Blair

Jeffery Cornwell

Troy Hartley

Raleigh Hood

Robert Jones

Thomas Miller

Lisa Wainger

Michael Wilberg

Simulation

model

of oysters

Stakeholder

workshops Social

science

study

Integrate

scientific and

stakeholder

knowledge

Improve

methods for

stakeholder

involvement

in fisheries

management

Recommend

fishing regulations

and restoration

strategies

Three parts to the research program:

Elizabeth North

Jeff Blair Jeffery Cornwell

Troy Hartley

Raleigh Hood

Robert JonesThomas Miller

Lisa Wainger

Michael Wilberg

Stakeholder

workshops

Recommend

fishing regulations

and restoration

strategies

Stakeholder’s

collective

vision guides

the process

which is:

• fair

• collaborative

• transparent

• powerful

1

Stakeholder Workgroup

Workgroup has 16 members:

• 6 commercial fishers

• 1 oyster buyer

• 2 aquaculturists

• 5 nonprofit group representatives

• 2 agency representatives

Invitations to participate based on phone interviews

during which we asked for names of people who are

well respected, knowledgeable, and collaborative

CCA

CBFORP

NOAA/ACOE TNC

DNR Phillips Wharf

Seafood buyer

Aquaculture

Aquaculture

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

OysterFutures

stakeholder

workgroup

CCA

CBFORP

NOAA/ACOE TNC

DNR Phillips Wharf

Seafood buyer

Aquaculture

Aquaculture

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

Waterman

OysterFutures

stakeholder

workgroup

Key Points

• Consensus-driven

• Facilitated

• 60% Industry

• 75% Agreement

• Science-based

OysterFutures Stakeholders

February 27, 2016

Process• Stakeholders agree on their vision, what management

options to evaluate, and what metrics to use to evaluate

them

• Data and model components are presented to

stakeholders with uncertainties clearly acknowledged;

stakeholders provide missing information when possible

• Stakeholders use a formal ratings process to move ideas

forward

• All ratings and comments are compiled and available

through the whole process

• No decision is final until the final recommendations are

made

Photos by Dylan Taillie

and Emily Nastase

The goal of the OysterFutures Workgroup is to develop a package of

consensus recommendations informed by a model collaboratively

developed by the Workgroup and the OysterFutures project research

team. The model will be designed so that it can be used to evaluate

oyster fishery practice and management options and restoration

policies in the Choptank and Little Choptank Rivers. The Workgroup’s

recommendations will be directed to Secretary Mark Belton of the

Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The project’s ultimate

goal is to ensure that the regulation and management of the

oyster fishery and oyster restoration polices are informed by the

best available science and shared stakeholder stewardship

values, resulting in an economically viable, healthy and

sustainable Choptank and Little Choptank Rivers oyster fishery

and ecosystem.

Group decision making leads to iterative

improvements

Economics SUPPORT

LEVEL

(%)

4—Acceptable 3—Minor

Reservations

2—Major Reservation

s

1—Not Acceptab

leJuly 2017 Rating 100% 7 3 0 0

March 2017 Rating 85% 7 4 2 0

Nov. 2016 Rating 77% 3 7 3 0

Ratings changed over time as model acceptability improved:

• Nov. 2016: flawed cost information

• March 2017: new cost information better but needs to be

incorporated into model along with more recent price of diesel

• July 2017: needs a different price per bushel, based on recent

buy-ticket data

Elizabeth NorthJeff Blair

Jeffery CornwellTroy Hartley

Raleigh HoodRobert Jones,

Thomas Miller

Lisa Wainger

Michael Wilberg

Simulation

model

of oysters

Stakeholder

workshops

Integrate

scientific and

stakeholder

knowledge

Recommend

fishing regulations

and restoration

strategies

Scientists

serve as

consultants

1

2

Elizabeth NorthJeff Blair

Jeffery CornwellTroy Hartley

Raleigh HoodRobert Jones,

Thomas Miller

Lisa Wainger

Michael Wilberg

Simulation

model

of oysters

Integrate

scientific and

stakeholder

knowledge

Model integrates:

• Population dynamics

• Larval transport

• Habitat

• Water quality

• Economics

OysterFutures Model

For example:

Status quo

Rotational harvest

Change sanctuary boundaries

Manage using shell supplements

Shell additions with rotation

Plant hatchery-reared oysters

Increase compliance with regulations

Modify size limits

OptionsSimulation

Model

Performance

Measures

OysterFutures Model

Reproduction

Transport

Growth

Mortality

Bottom habitat

Fishing effort

Etc.

OptionsSimulation

Model

Performance

Measures

• Tracks separate

populations on each of

1,132 habitat polygons

• Connectivity between

polygons estimated with

larval transport model

• Projects 25 yrs into

future

OptionsSimulation

Model

Performance

Measures

OysterFutures Model

Oyster abundance

Harvest

Number of participants

Profit

Amount of shell on reefs

Water clarity

Nitrogen reduction

Etc.

OptionsSimulation

Model

Performance

Measures

OysterFutures Model

Elizabeth North

Jeff Blair

Jeffery Cornwell

Troy Hartley Raleigh Hood

Robert Jones

Thomas Miller

Lisa Wainger

Michael Wilberg

Simulation

model

of oysters

Stakeholder

workshops Social

science

study

Integrate

scientific and

stakeholder

knowledge

Improve

methods for

stakeholder

involvement

in fisheries

management

Recommend

fishing regulations

and restoration

strategies

1

2 3

Evaluation

• Surveys before each workshop are used

to track changes in stakeholders'

attitudes and networks due to

participation in the OysterFutures

process

• Will use information to make

recommendations about how to

improve the process and apply it in

other places

Timeline

2016

February 1st workshop: visioning

May 2nd workshop: model directives

November 3rd workshop: model development

2017

March 4th workshop: model development

July 5th workshop: model development

Sept workshop postponed

Nov 6th workshop: recommendations

?Dec 7th workshop: recommendations

?Dec Submit recommendations to DNR

Timeline

2016

February 1st workshop: visioning

May 2nd workshop: model directives

November 3rd workshop: model development

2017

March 4th workshop: model development

July 5th workshop: model development

Sept workshop postponed

Nov 6th workshop: recommendations

?Dec 7th workshop: recommendations

2018 Future change: sea level, nutrients

Winter 8th workshop: visioning and directives

• We have the right people at the table

• I really like how this “consensus solutions”

approach promotes collaboration and creative

problem solving, and includes everyone’s

knowledge

• This is the best process that I have ever

experienced

I hope that the State of MD will find the process

and the recommendations of our stakeholders

useful.

Concluding testimonial:

https://oysterfutures.wordpress.com/

and

www.facebook.com/oysterfutures

More information available on the web

Videos of speakers and discussion

from OysterFutures symposium

Questions, comments, advice?

Images

IAN symbol Library

Paynter Lab

OysterFutures Stakeholders and Research Team Members

Many thanks to: