Summary

The MBNMS is in the process of completing a Management Plan Review that outlines a number of resource management issues to be prioritized by the Sanctuary over the coming decade. Most of these issues have marine research / information needs that can be addressed by the expertise (faculty, staff and students) at the Institute for Applied Marine Ecology at CSUMB. Further, the project leverages CSUMB’s new Undersea Imagery Archive to explore how imagery associated with the archive can be used to address specific needs in the Management Plan.

Student Involvement

To-date a single CSUMB undergraduate is supported on this project. We anticipate that multiple additional students will be engaged as the project proceeds.

Broader Significance

The collaborative nature of this project is precisely in line with the IfAME’s mission. An employee from a federal agency approached the IfAME about undertaking work in direct support of a management document. Further, as the project leverages the state-funded imagery archive, the project demonstrates the tight connection between state and federal information needs.