MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012 - 2017 MAK BAY NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE KACHE This management plan has been developed in accordance with NOAA regulations, including all provisions for public involvement. It is consistent with the congressional intent of Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS), established by Section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act, as amended. Additional information about the System can be obtained from the Estuarine Reserves Division, Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1305 East West Highway – N/ORM5, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Financial support for this publication was provided by grants (#NA09NOS4200124; #NA10NOS4200106) under the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act, administered by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Silver Spring, MD. ADF&G administers all programs free from discrimination and in compliance with federal and state anti-discrimination laws. For the full text of this statement, or for additional formats, visit http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/ and click on OEO statement. TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF PLAN 3 1.2 KBNERR Strategic Focus Areas 4 1.3 SUMMARY of KBNERR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2005-2011 6 2.5.1 Administration and Staffing 6 2.5.2 Research and Monitoring 6 2.5.3 Education and Outreach 8 2.5.4 Coastal Training Program 9 2.0 NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM 11 2.1 NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION 11 2.2.1 National Estuarine Research Reserve System Mission 12 2.2.2 Overarching NERR Goals 13 2.2.3 NERRS Strategic Goals 13 2.2 BIOGEOGRAPHIC REGIONS 15 2.3 ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 17 2.4 STATE OF ALASKA – ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 12 2.4.1 Sport Fish Division 18 2.4.2 Sport Fish Division – Strategic Plan 19 2.5 SECTION 312 PROGRAM EVALUATIONS 21 3.0 KACHEMAK BAY NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE 25 3.1 RESERVE BOUNDARIES 25 3.2 LAND OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 25 3.3 GENERAL LOCATION 28 3.3.1 Climate 29 3.3.2 Geology 29 3.3.3 Physiography and Hydrology 31 3.3.4 Oceanography 32 i 3.3.5 Circulation 33 3.4 BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS 34 3.4.1 Flora 35 3.4.2 Fauna 37 3.4.3 Listed Species 41 4.0 MANAGEMENT PLAN OVERVIEW 43 4.1 INTRODUCTION 43 4.2 MANAGEMENT PLAN FRAMEWORK 44 5.0 RESEARCH AND MONITORING 47 5.1 INTRODUCTION 47 5.2 NERRS RESEARCH PRIORITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES 49 5.2.1 NERRS Research Funding Priorities 49 5.2.2 System-wide Monitoring Program 50 5.2.3 Graduate Research Fellows 52 5.2.4 Science Collaborative 52 5.2.5 Research Partners 53 5.3 KBNERR RESEARCH EMPHASIS 54 5.4 KBNERR RESEARCH GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 56 5.5 KBNERR MONITORING PROGRAM 57 5.5.1 Biological Monitoring Program 58 5.5.2 Land Use, Habitat Mapping and Change 60 5.5.3 KBNERR Citizen Science Monitoring 60 5.5.4 Other Monitoring Programs 60 5.6 KACHEMAK BAY NERR GOAL 2 61 6.0 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH 64 6.1 INTRODUCTION 64 6.2 NERRS EDUCATION MISSION AND GOALS 65 6.3 KBNERR EDUCATION 66 6.3.1 Education Partners 67 6.4 FORMAL EDUCATION PROGRAM 68 6.5 INFORMAL EDUCATION PROGRAM 70 6.6 EDUCATION GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES 72 7.0 COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM 75 ii 7.1 INTRODUCTION 75 7.2 NERR COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM MISSION AND GOALS 75 7.3 KBNERR COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM 76 7.4 KBNERR COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM PARTNERS 78 7.5 KBNERR COASTAL TRAINING PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 79 8.0 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION 83 8.1 ADMINISTRATIVE FRAMEWORK 83 8.2 FUNDING APPROACH 84 8.3 ANNUAL BUDGET 84 8.4 RESERVE STAFF 85 8.4.1 Current Administrative Staff 87 8.4.2 Current Research Staff 87 8.4.3 Current Education Staff 88 8.4.4 Future Staff Needs 89 8.5 FACILITIES PLAN 89 8.5.1 Partner Facilities 90 8.5.2 Future Facility Needs 92 8.6 COMMUNITY PARTNERS 92 8.7 KBNERR ADMINISTRATIVE MISSION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES 93 9.0 PUBLIC ACCESS AND VISITOR USE 99 9.1 NERRS PRIORITIES FOR PUBLIC ACCESS 99 9.2 ADF&G, DIVISION OF SPORT FISH PRIORITIES FOR PUBLIC ACCESS 99 9.3 MANAGEMENT AGENCIES PUBLIC ACCESS POLICIES 99 9.4 KACHEMAK BAY NERR PUBLIC ACCESS 100 9.4.1 Current Public Access 100 9.4.2 Future Public Access 103 10.0 LAND AQUISITION 104 10.1 ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME 104 10.2 KACHEMAK HERITAGE LAND TRUST 104 10.3 NERRS BOUNDARY EXPANSION GUIDELINES 105 10.4 KACHEMAK BAY NERR FUTURE BOUNDARY EXPANSION OPTIONS 105 10.4.1 Critical Habitat Areas and State Parks 105 10.4.2 New State Park Parcels 105 10.4.3 Beluga Slough 107 iii 11.0 RESOURCE CONSERVATION 109 11.1 EXISTING RESOURCES 109 11.1.1 Fox River Flats CHA 109 11.1.2 Kachemak Bay CHA 110 11.1.3 Kachemak Bay State Park 112 11.2 USE RESTRICTIONS, PERMIT NEEDS AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY 113 11.2.1 Regulations and Permit Requirements for Critical Habitat Areas 113 11.2.2 Regulations and Permit Requirements-Kachemak Bay State Park 115 11.2.3 Other Regulatory Entities 118 11.2.4 Other Planning Entities 119 11.2.5 Surveillance and Enforcement Strategy 119 12.0 STEWARDSHIP AND MANIPULATION 121 12.1 NERRS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION WORK 121 12.2 POTENTIAL STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES 121 12.2.1 Harbor Baseline Studies, Monitoring and Restoration 121 12.2.2 Mud Bay 122 12.2.3 Beluga Slough 122 12.2.4 Fox River Flats 123 12.2.5 Cottonwood/Eastland Unit Reforestation 124 12.3 RESEARCH MANIPULATIONS 125 CITATIONS 126 APPENDICES 1. NERRS Program Regulations 129 2. NERRS Typological Classification Scheme 131 3. MOU (ADF&G and NOAA) 133 4. CZM 312 Evaluation and Response 138 5. GUIDANCE FOR MEASURING NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH 240 RESERVE PERFORMANCE FOR SECTION 312 EVALUATIONS 6. MOU (KBNERR and USFWS) 243 7. MOU (KBNERR and City of Homer) 252 8. Habitat Descriptions 255 9. Species List 267 10. Past Management Plan Goals 322 11. Kachemak Bay NERR Advisory Council Charter 323 12. Facilities Plan 329 13. CHA Inholdings and Leases 338 iv 14. KBSP Inholdings 343 15. NOAA Boundary Expansion Guidelines 344 16. Policies for Legislatively Designated Areas in Reserve Boundary 346 17. Public Process for Input on Management Plan Update LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Map – Location of Kachemak Bay NERR in Alaska Figure 2: Map – NERRS Biogeographic Regions Figure 3: Map - National Estuarine Research Reserves Figure 4: Map - Reserve Boundary and Legislatively Designated Areas Figure 5: Map - Land Type or Use In and Adjacent to Reserve Boundary Figure 6. Map - Annual Precipitation on Kenai Peninsula Figure 7: Map - Circulation Patterns of Kachemak Bay Figure 8: Map - Kachemak Bay Salt Marshes Figure 9: Chart - Commercial Crab Catch Figure 10: Map - Region of Scientific Emphasis Figure 11: Map - Monitoring Sites in Kachemak Bay Figure 12: Chart - Kachemak Bay NERR Organization Chart Figure 13: Map - Kachemak Bay State Park Trails Map Figure 14: Map - Overlook, Diamond, and Baycrest Parks Figure 15: Map - Beluga Slough parcels Figure 16: Chart - Commercial Shrimp Catch Figure 17: Map - Fox River Flats LIST OF TABLES 1. NERRS Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives 2. List of Reserves with Designation Dates 3. ADF&G, Division of Sport Fish Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives 4. State and Federal Listed Species in Kachemak Bay 5. Kachemak Bay NERR Goals and Objectives 6. Kachemak Bay NERR Current Staff Positions 7. Proposed Future Facilities Enhancements v ACRONYMS AAC Alaska Administrative Code ACMP Alaska Coastal Management Program ADEC Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation ADF&G Alaska Department of Fish and Game ADNR Alaska Department of Natural Resources ADOT Alaska Department of Transportation ADPOR Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, ADNR AIOVC Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center AMNWR Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge AOOS Alaska Ocean Observing System AS Alaska Statute ATV All Terrain Vehicle B-WET Bay-Watershed Education and Training CCFHR Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research CDMO Centralized Data Management Office, NERRS CFR Code of Federal Regulations CHA Critical Habitat Area CIAA Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association CIRCAC Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council CISPRI Cook Inlet Spill Prevention and Response, Inc. COSEE Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence CSC Coastal Services Center, NOAA vi CTP Coastal Training Program CWA Clean Water Act CZM Coastal Zone Management CZMA Coastal Zone Management Act DCF Division of Commercial Fisheries, ADF&G DML&W Division of Mining, Land and Water, ADNR DSF Division of Sport Fish, ADF&G EIS Environmental Impact Statement EPA Environmental Protection Agency ERD Estuarine Reserves Division EVOS Exxon Valdez Oil Spill EVOSTC Exxon-Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council GIS Geographic Information System GRF Graduate Research Fellowship HAB Harmful Algal Bloom KBEEA Kachemak Bay Environmental Education Alliance KBL Kasitsna Bay Laboratory KBNERR Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve KBSP Kachemak Bay State Park KEEP K-12 Estuarine Education Program KHLT Kachemak Heritage Land Trust KPB Kenai Peninsula Borough KPBSD Kenai Peninsula Borough School District vii KPC Kenai Peninsula College KPFHP Kenai Peninsula Fish Habitat Partnership LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging MOA Memorandum of Agreement MOU Memorandum of Understanding NANOOS Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems NCCOS National Center for Coastal and Ocean Sciences, NOAA NERR National Estuarine Research Reserve NERRS National Estuarine Research Reserve System NGO Non-Governmental Organization NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOS National Ocean Service, NOAA NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System NPS National Park Service NWR National Wildlife Refuge OCRM Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, NOAA PAC Procurement, Acquisition, Construction PWS Prince William Sound PWSRCAC Prince William Sound Regional Citizens Advisory Council RSA Reimbursable Services Agreement SCUBA Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus SERC Smithsonian Environmental Research Center SNAI Seldovia Native Association, Inc.