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Beyond the Horizon: A Forum to Discuss a Potential Network of Special Ocean Places to Strengthen the Ecology, Economy and Culture of the Gulf of Mexico Proceedings of the Forum: May 11-13, 2011 Keating Education Center Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida Proceedings: Beyond the Horizon Forum Table of Contents Foreword to the Beyond the Horizon Forum (Sylvia Earle).................................................................. 5 To Protect and Conserve the Gulf of Mexico (Beyond the Horizon Forum Press Release)................... 7 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................... 9 Beyond the Horizon Executive Committee............................................................................................. 9 About these Proceedings........................................................................................................................... 9 Summary and Synthesis of the Beyond the Horizon Forum (John Ogden)........................................ 10 Day One Welcome and Introduction (Michael Crosby) ............................................................................................................................. 15 (Billy Causey) .................................................................................................................................. 16 (Sally Yozell) ................................................................................................................................... 18 (Steve Gittings) ................................................................................................................................ 19 The Gulf of Mexico Restoration Task Force (John Hankinson)........................................................... 20 Natural Resource Damage Assessment Process (ME Rolle) ............................................................... 22 Panel 1: An Overview of Ocean Governance in the Gulf of Mexico International Governance (Richard McLaughlin) ..................................................................... 24 NOAA National Marine Fiseries Service Authority (Roy Crabtree) ....................................... 26 NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Authority (George Sedberry) ........................ 28 Ocean Governance, an Overlap: State of Florida Perspective (Amber Whittle).................... 30 Panel 1 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 32 Panel 2: Special Features and Diversity in the Gulf of Mexico Shallow Water Banks and Reefs of the Gulf of Mexico: Their Role in Biodiversity (Tom Shirley)................................................................................................................................ 35 Biodiversity, Biogeography, and Connectivity of Seeps and Cold-water Coral Communities in the Gulf of Mexico (Amanda Demopoulos).................................................... 37 Fisheries – Recreational & Commercial (Bonnie Ponwith)...................................................... 40 Whale Shark Aggregation Areas (Robert Hueter)..................................................................... 40 2 Proceedings: Beyond the Horizon Forum Panel 2 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 43 Panel 3: Perspectives and Visions for Protection of the Gulf of Mexico Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary — Management Plan Review (GP Schmahl)................................................................................................................................ 45 Future of the Gulf (Larry McKinney)......................................................................................... 48 Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary Expansion (Clint Moore)....................... 49 Panel 3 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 53 Integrating the National Ocean Policy, Coastal Marine Spatial Planning and Connectivity (John Ogden)................................................................................................................................. 54 Panel 4: International Place-Based Protection Strategies and Partnerships Mexico An Overview of the Integrated Assessment and Management of the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem Program (Porfirio Alvarez-Torres and Orlando Iglesias)................ 58 Belize (Melanie McField) ............................................................................................................. 66 Cuba (John “Wes” Tunnell) ......................................................................................................... 67 Panel 4 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 69 Panel 5: Understanding the Uses and Economies of the Gulf of Mexico The Economie Environment of the Gulf of Mexico (David W. Yoskowitz)............................ 70 Oil and Gas (Andy Radford)........................................................................................................ 72 Oil and Gas (Clint Moore)........................................................................................................... 74 Commercial and Recreational Fishing (Steve Bortone) ........................................................... 76 Recreational Diving (Frank Wasson).......................................................................................... 82 Panel 5 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 82 First Day Summary (Steve Gittings) ...................................................................................................... 82 Day Two Recap of Previous Day (Wes Tunnell).................................................................................................... 83 Panel 6: The Case for Connectivity in the Northern Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico Large-Scale Connectivity Patterns Within the Caribbean Sea Region (Digna Rueda and Frank Muller-Karger)............................................................................................................. 84 Tracing Oceanographic Connectivity in the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef 3 Proceedings: Beyond the Horizon Forum System and the Gulf of Mexico using Ocean Color Imagery (Inia Soto, Frank Muller-Karger, Chuanmin Hu) ..................................................................................................... 89 Developing a Regional Marine Protected Area Plan for the Gulf of Mexico (Ryan Young)................................................................................................................................ 96 Panel 6 Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 99 Panel 7: Other Relevant Ongoing Activities Sportfishing Conservation Alliance (Tom Raftican)............................................................... 100 Understanding Existing Marine Protected Areas and Ocean Uses in the Gulf of Mexico (Lauren Wenzel) ......................................................................................................................... 101 Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning: A Resource Planning Tool for the Gulf of Mexico (Cathy Tortorici) ......................................................................................................................... 106 The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) (Barbara Kirkpatrick).... 111 Panel 7 Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 115 Breakout Sessions – Report Out 1. Governance in the Gulf (Facilitator: Barbara Lausche) ...................................................... 117 2. Special Features and Diversity in the Gulf of Mexico (Facilitator: Jyotika Virmani) ...... 118 3. Understanding the Uses and Economics of the Gulf of Mexico (Facilitator: David Yoskowitz) ................................................................................................... 121 4. Perspectives and Visions for Protection of the Gulf (Facilitator: Vicki Nichols Goldstein)......................................................................................... 122 Appendix 1: What is Governance? (Barbara Lausche) ....................................................................... 124 Appendix 2: Speakers and Moderators .............................................................................................. 127 4 Proceedings: Beyond the Horizon Forum Foreword to the Proceedings of the Beyond the Horizon Forum Sylvia Earle, Ph.D. The Beyond the Horizon Forum represents a bold commitment to the Gulf of Mexico and to the Nation – a Nation whose economy depends on the abundant natural resources in the Gulf of Mexico. It is a flagship for engaging the communities, scientists and users of the Gulf of Mexico in an essential effort to identify and protect ecologically important places in the beautiful waters of the Gulf. This action will assist the restoration of the Gulf’s marine environment following the devastating oil spill in 2010 and enhance its resiliency to future disturbances. Most significantly, this effort is a collaborative