April 18, 2008

Dr. James Lindholm told congressional staff members on April 14 that marine reserves are an appropriate way to protect sea life and offer benefits to the oceans' ecosystems.

His remarks were part of a pair of briefings on the science of marine reserves held in Washington, D.C.

Lindholm, a faculty member in California State University, Monterey Bay's Division of Science and Environmental Policy, was one of three researchers selected by the Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea (COMPASS) to brief House and Senate staff members.

Also in attendance were employees of the departments of State and Interior and other federal agencies, as well as representatives from non-governmental organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Ocean Conservancy.

Marine reserves – protected areas of the sea where certain activities are prohibited – are a promising management tool designed to help protect marine ecosystems.

"Marine reserves can provide meaningful protection to a variety of fish," Lindholm told the audiences at both briefings. They can result in increases in the diversity, abundance, and size of fish.

The briefing were held for several reasons, said Chad English, director of science policy outreach for COMPASS. Foremost among them is the reauthorization of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Congress is considering what needs to be changed in the act as part of its reauthorization.

Also up for renewal are the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Coastal Zone Management Act. All of these pieces of legislation include use of marine reserves.

"Our motivation for holding these briefings is to make sure folks on Capitol Hill know about the progress in research on sanctuaries in the last five years," English said.

"Jim has experience doing research around several sanctuaries around the country," he said. "He participated in the Channel Islands symposium in Oxnard in February and talked about what research has shown in that area over the last five years.

"We thought this was very relevant research for what's going on now. That's one of the reasons he was asked to do these briefings."

Lindholm said Monday's presentations were well received.

"We were told they were among the best-attended briefings in some time on both the House and Senate sides," he said by phone from Washington. "We keep getting requests for more meetings.

"There's a lot of interest in the subject of marine reserves and not a lot of knowledge. This is a good opportunity to impart what we do know."

Dr. Lindholm, who directs CSUMB's Institute for Applied Marine Ecology, has done research in the Gulf of Maine, the Florida Keys and California.

On Monday afternoon, he visited with staff members at three congressional offices, including Rep. Sam Farr (D-Carmel).

"When our oceans make the news, it's too often for the wrong reasons," Farr said.

"We hear about salmon disappearing, red blooms expanding and oil spills threatening wildlife. So it's exciting to be able to recognize the priceless work of scientists like Dr. Lindholm and his colleagues."

COMPASS is a collaborative effort to advance marine conservation science and communicate scientific knowledge to policymakers, the public, and the media. Its mission is to accelerate the pace of solving important marine environmental problems.