Science Framework for the
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
9 January 2003

I. Organization Context

The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS or Sanctuary) was established in 1994 through the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, in recognition of its nationally significant and unique marine environment. The OCNMS is under the administration of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary Program (NOAA 1999). The overriding objective of the Sanctuary Program is to provide a comprehensive ecosystem-wide approach to natural and cultural resource management (Basta and Gittings 2000). The Sanctuary Program is directed by its mandate to protect marine habitats, to understand the functions of marine systems, and to monitor their change through time.


II. Science Framework Overview

A. Mission Statement

The Sanctuary research program focuses on and supports scientific investigations that improve our understanding of the Sanctuary's marine ecosystems and historical and cultural resources in order to provide managers with the information necessary to make informed decisions. The OCNMS is committed to ensuring strong linkages and positive feedback between research, education, and management activities within the Sanctuary.

B. General Objectives: This long-term Science Framework will guide the development of annual Sanctuary Research Plans (SRPs), which will contain more specific research objectives and project descriptions that address the objectives of the Science Framework. The Science Framework, in conjunction with the annual SRP, establishes a rigorous, objective, science-based strategy for evaluating ecosystem health and implementing effective management programs. This Science Framework, with input from other resource agencies (e.g., State and Federal), four local coastal tribes (the Makah, Quileute, Hoh and Quinault - hereafter referred to as "Tribes"), and advisory bodies, will guide the Sanctuary in prioritizing and implementing a sound research and monitoring strategy.


III. Introduction

Understanding the functions of the various components of the Olympic coastal marine ecosystems at both local and regional scales requires a scientific research strategy that coordinates existing research programs, promotes needed research, and addresses issues of concern to resource managers and the public. The relatively pristine nature of OCNMS and its federally protected status makes it a unique and important area for ecological study. The OCNMS Research Advisory Committee (RAC), a subcommittee of the Sanctuary Advisory Council (SAC), provides a forum for discussion and review of research program priorities and for the dissemination of research information. The RAC also assists OCNMS in identifying ways it can support or leverage support for existing programs, as well as suggesting new research projects. Among the near-term and long-term goals of the research program are the following:

* Compile existing data (and metadata) to describe the ecosystem and its components and provide baseline information;
* Promote continual information exchange among universities, government agencies, Tribes, and non-governmental organizations undertaking research in the Sanctuary;
* Establish procedures that ensure that projects are responsive to management concerns and that research results contribute to resource protection and management;
* Encourage multidisciplinary studies that link research efforts in the coastal, nearshore, open ocean, and deep sea ecosystems;
* Coordinate data collection on the physical, chemical, geological, biological and cultural resources and processes of the Sanctuary in order to target data gaps and maximize the effectiveness of collaborations with other trustee agencies and Tribes, and to avoid duplication of effort;
* Initiate a monitoring program to assess environmental changes due to natural and human processes;
* Identify potential environmental influences from both human activity and natural phenomena;
* Encourage research that examines biodiversity within the habitats of the Sanctuary;
* Ensure that research activities do not harm or diminish resources within the Sanctuary (It is recognized that natural resources found within the Sanctuary fall under multiple jurisdictions including, but not limited to, Tribal, Federal and State jurisdictions. For the sake of brevity, "natural resources within the Sanctuary" are hereafter referred to simply as "Sanctuary resources");
* Promote data dissemination and incorporate research results into an interpretive/education program in a format useful for the general public;
* Incorporate research results into an interpretive/education program in a format useful for the general public; and
* Evaluate, on a regular basis, the effectiveness and efficiency of the research program with regard to its integration with resource protection, management and educational objectives.

These elements and others follow directly from the general objectives outlined in Section IIB above.


IV. Natural and Anthropogenic Factors

The primary objective of the National Marine Sanctuary Program is resource protection. The resources and ecosystem functions of the OCNMS area are exposed to natural and anthropogenic influences that may function as chronic or acute stressors. Research and monitoring needs are evaluated relative to the perceived magnitude of the potential impacts from such stressors. Priorities may shift as issues or findings emerge that require immediate attention, alter our understanding of ecosystem functioning, or provide new and important research opportunities. Potential natural and anthropogenic stressors to the Sanctuary resources include but are not limited to:


A. Non-point Source Pollution

Non-point source pollution includes all contaminants entering the Sanctuary that have no defined or identifiable source. Examples include various kinds of soil erosion from agricultural and silvicultural practices and livestock use. Potential pollutants include pesticides, soil, and fecal matter. Runoff from bridges and roads can contain petroleum products; atmospheric deposition can contain volatilized pollutants in the form of acid rain; and runoff from coastal development may contribute petroleum products, fertilizers, herbicides, solvents, cleaners, and paint residues.

B. Point Source Pollution

Point source pollution includes all contaminants entering the Sanctuary from defined, identifiable sources. Examples include sewage outfalls, which can shunt fecal matter and heavy metal contaminants to the sea; dredge spoils disposal; bilge discharges and ocean dumping from vessels (vessel, as defined under official Navigation Rules, includes all watercraft including nondisplacement craft and seaplanes used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on the water).

C. Commercial Activities

Some commercial activities conducted in the Sanctuary may affect Sanctuary resources. Examples include dredging, aquaculture, kelp harvesting, commercial fisheries, fiber optic cable installation, and ecotourism.

D. Recreational Activities

Recreational activities conducted in the Sanctuary for personal enjoyment and relaxation may affect Sanctuary resources. Examples include tidepooling, hiking, fishing, and boating (e.g., powerboats, personal motorized watercraft, kayaks, and anchoring).

E. Unpredictable Anthropogenic Events

This category includes all infrequent and unpredictable events that affect the Sanctuary and its resources. Examples include hazardous material or petroleum spills, ship groundings, and the introduction of non-indigenous species.

F. Natural Perturbations

Although effects of natural perturbations may not be manageable, knowledge of their processes is needed. Understanding natural variation, and the change it may cause, is critical to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic effects and to interpret changes in the ecosystem. Natural perturbations include severe weather conditions such as severe storms and flooding; climatic change that may result in sea level rise or changes in the El Ni–o-southern oscillation (ENSO), geophysical events including earthquakes, tsunamis, and undersea landslides, and natural biological phenomena such as harmful algal blooms or increased predation pressure on seabird colonies.


V. Long-term Framework

OCNMS research and management staffs are responsible for developing long-term objectives for the Sanctuary's research program and for designing future SRPs. To that end, Sanctuary staff, with input from the RAC, will consider the amount and type of data that have been collected and the data that are needed pertaining to the following framework elements: A) Existing knowledge; B) Inventory and monitoring; C) Experimental studies; D) Modeling; and E) Information management. (Note: These elements are listed in sequential order with each building on the information and advancement of the previous elements.) By developing annual SRPs and the Science Framework, Sanctuary staff will ensure that existing data in a given field are sufficient to progress from one element to the next, and that priority needs are addressed. Details of each element are described below.

A. Existing Knowledge

Overview:
Existing information on environmental conditions, natural communities, habitats, traditional knowledge, cultural resources and management practices in the Sanctuary provides a basis of comparison so that monitoring efforts can be designed to detect changes. The Sanctuary's Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) (NOAA 1993) summarizes much of what was known about Sanctuary resources up to 1993. It presents the findings in four sections: Environmental Conditions, Natural Resources, Cultural and Historical Resources and Human Activities. Recent research that has taken place in the Sanctuary through 1998 has been compiled in two research workshop proceedings (Strickland 1996; Bowlby et al. 2001). The Sanctuary requests annual reports from researchers who conduct work in the Sanctuary, thus continuing compilation of existing knowledge of marine resources. What is already known about the Sanctuary marine systems can be categorized under three broad topics:

1. Physical environment

2. Biota

3. Historical/Cultural Context


B. Inventory and Monitoring

Overview:
Effective Sanctuary management requires an understanding of long-term changes in the status of the resources and their environment. Inventorying and long-term monitoring of resources is a way to detect and document changes in environmental quality, ecological functions, cultural resources, and human activity and to determine if changes in management strategies are needed. Examples of factors to be inventoried or monitored include:

1. Physical Environment:

* Environmental factors, such as wind, sea level, and temperature, collected by coastal stations, offshore data buoys, and satellites;
* Natural erosion and sedimentation;
* Nearshore circulation and transport;
* Water quality; and
* Sea floor features, surveyed, in part, with high-resolution sea floor mapping.


2. Biota:

* Significant species (species federally listed under Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, or WA State listed species);
* Critical habitats for significant species (Federal or State listed species);
* Harmful algal blooms;
* Changes in abundance at various life history stages of macroinvertebrates and fish;
* Invasive species;
* Fluctuations in the distribution/abundance of marine mammal and bird populations; and
* Biodiversity.


3. Historical/Cultural Context:

* Sport, commercial and subsistence fishing activity;
* Status and trends of contaminants;
* Status of cultural and historical resources;
* Commercial vessel traffic;
* Recreational and nature observation activities;
* Anthropogenic induced erosion and sedimentation; and
* Seafloor alterations, such as fiber optic cables and fishing gear impacts.

Current Status of Inventory and Monitoring

Physical Environment: During research cruises, OCNMS and its research partners (other NOAA offices; University of Washington (UW); U.S. Geological Survey (USGS); Washington State Departments of Ecology (DOE), Fish and Wildlife (DFW), and Natural Resources (DNR)) collect various physical data on temperature and salinity, currents, and seafloor features (e.g., acoustic mapping and grain size). This is supplemented by remote data sources including satellite remote imagery and buoy instrumentation (Olympic Region Harmful Algal Bloom (ORHAB)). NOAA's Status and Trends has generated a long-term sampling database of selected chemical parameters.

Biota: Monitoring programs for living resources include fish and shellfish (DFW, National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Tribes, Olympic National Park (ONP)), marine mammals (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), NMFS, OCNMS, DFW, Biological Resources Division of USGS, Cascadia Research Collective), marine birds (DFW, USFWS, OCNMS, UW), intertidal resources ((ONP), OCNMS, Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO)), kelp (DNR, OCNMS), harmful algal bloom events (ORHAB, Tribes) and invasive species (DFW, OCNMS, Tribes).

Historical/Cultural Context: OCNMS and partners are surveying shipwreck and cultural sites, monitoring vessel traffic and use, and assessing impacts and habitat recovery from the laying of fiber optic cables within the Sanctuary.


Future Inventory and Monitoring Activities

Physical Environment: To better understand the physical oceanography of the area, OCNMS and its partners will expand remote sensing data collection using buoy arrays and satellite imagery. Future use of remotely operated vehicles, submersibles, and acoustic techniques for habitat surveys will enhance monitoring capabilities and improve our understanding of nearshore and deep-sea environments.

Biota: Increased monitoring of selected bird, mammal, and fish species is being considered along with studies to define trophic dynamics. Rapid assessment of invasive species is underway. ONP may initiate monitoring of human impacts on intertidal resources, and OCNMS is considering more intensive deep sea monitoring of benthic communities.

Historical/Cultural Context:The feasibility of zoning and the use of marine protected areas is being explored as a potential management tool for enhancing biodiversity and fisheries. If any zoning is established, it will require rigorous long-term monitoring.


C. Experimental Studies

Overview
Experimental studies will be encouraged to test hypotheses and elucidate natural processes. Examples of research questions appropriate for OCNMS are:

* What are the recovery patterns of algae, invertebrates, fish, marine mammals and birds associated with different oil spill response techniques;
* What are the long-term effects of fishing gear and fiber optic cables on seafloor communities;
* What are the effects of harvest refugia on fish and other biota;
* What are the watershed effects on sedimentation rates and circulation along nearshore ecosystems;
* What are the effects of foraging sea otters on kelp communities and fisheries; and
* What is the level of dependence of anadromous and migratory species at different life cycle stages on the physical and biological environment?


Current Status of Experimental Studies

Physical Environment: The ORHAB group is utilizing buoy arrays and satellite imagery to determine what oceanographic conditions influence harmful algal bloom events.

Biota: A cooperative study funded by Sea Grant is currently assessing the value of using molecular biomarkers in invertebrates and algae as a measure of natural and anthropogenic stress. A fiber optic monitoring project is comparing the recovery of benthic communities along a cable route under several levels of bottom fishing intensity.

Future Experimental Studies


Physical Environment: OCNMS would like to develop or support research that aids in understanding the role refugia play in dynamics of marine populations. The Sanctuary would also like to study how oceanographic conditions affect ocean productivity and trophic dynamics.

Biota: The function of subtidal kelp to fish rearing and juvenile fish survival is currently unidentified and requires additional study. The causes of seabird and groundfish declines are poorly understood and require investigation. Levels of contaminants in recovering sea otter populations currently are being measured; this study will be expanded in the future. Studies will be promoted that enhance our understanding of sources and sinks of larvae and other reproductive propagules, and the role of ocean current patterns in the distribution and dispersal of larvae organisms.


D. Modeling

Overview:
Three types of modeling activities (numerical simulations, ecosystem models, and statistical models) will be used to interpret data, guide field programs, test hypotheses, and predict potential outcomes from proposed activities. Results will be provided to managers to help guide management decisions. Examples of systems appropriate for modeling include:

* Interpretation of nearshore, oceanographic, and ecosystem processes and their relationships to fisheries management and potential refugia;
* Prediction of the effects of boating and aircraft activity on marine mammals and birds;
* Prediction of the trajectory of unintentional discharges (such as fuel spills) into the Sanctuary;
* Characterization of nearshore circulation and transport of sediment; and
* Prediction of how fluctuations in kelp habitats may influence kelp associated species and adjacent shorelines.

Models can be useful for predicting potential impacts and evaluating different management strategies. Once a management strategy is implemented, its effectiveness can be monitored to refine and improve the original model.

Current Status of Modeling Studies

Physical Environment: The current Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping program is a useful modeling tool when designing studies. GIS mapping was very useful in planning and implementing the boundaries for the voluntary Area To Be Avoided project established in the Sanctuary, which applies to certain commercial vessels.

Biota: A predictive model of nearshore communities has been developed (Oregon State University (OSU)) and is currently used as a tool to predict community composition in different habitat types in order to facilitate and direct study designs.

Historical/Cultural Context Previous modeling has been conducted on intertidal and nearshore ecosystems (UW, OSU).

Future Modeling Studies

Physical Environment: Better models of currents and ocean events (e.g. ENSO) will be useful tools for predicting ocean conditions and productivity and thus provide needed information on their influence on marine population dynamics as well as oil spill trajectories.

Biota: Realistic models of population dynamics of commercial fish and marine mammal and bird populations are needed in order to make sound management decisions regarding the long-term health of those populations.




E. Information Management

Overview:
Efficient and accessible information management is necessary in order to provide researchers, educators and decision-makers with the most up-to-date information regarding research undertaken in the Sanctuary. Whenever possible, this information will be provided to concerned parties and interested citizens during the planning and execution phases of research projects, and at project termination, to facilitate the continuous integration of research activities with resource protection, education, and outreach efforts. Examples of information management projects include:

* Developing a database system to catalog information;
* Creating an electronic information network to facilitate more timely and efficient information exchange (e.g., web site);
* Establishing a GIS dataset to incorporate scientific and historical/cultural information gathered within the Sanctuary; and
* Incorporating the status of current research projects, the results of prior research projects, and management decisions based on the outcome of these projects into the education and public outreach programs developed for the Sanctuary (e.g. web site, workshop and conference proceedings, student programs, volunteer programs, public forums, adult continuing education classes, and other means of delivery).


Current Status of Information Management

OCNMS's GIS system is established and is being improved and expanded as new hardware and data become available. An interactive OCNMS web page is running with linkages to other research sites and partner agencies (http://www.ocnms.nos.noaa.gov/). A bibliographic database has been initiated and materials are continuously being cataloged. OCNMS sponsors marine research workshops every two years to highlight ongoing work and to identify information gaps. OCNMS also provides educational/public outreach workshops for the lay public in partnership with Olympic Park Institute, UW, Peninsula College and other organizations. The OCNMS Research and Education staff share resources, training and field experiences as well as collaborate on projects.


Future Efforts in Information Management

OCNMS, with the help of the web page, advisory committees, and research workshops, will become a clearinghouse for information and communication surrounding marine research within the Sanctuary. Public awareness and appreciation for marine environments in the Sanctuary will be enhanced through public outreach.


VI. Short-term Framework

Annual Sanctuary Research Plans (SRP) are developed by the OCNMS research and management staff with input from the RAC. The five components of this Science Framework are used to guide and strengthen the annual plans, promoting scientific integrity. The mission statement provides guidance in focusing research efforts on ecosystem protection and ecological understanding. Overriding long-term research goals are balanced with emergent resource issues and opportunities. Limitations of funding are also incorporated into planning for the SRPs. Partnership opportunities with other research institutions and agencies are strongly taken into consideration. This Science Framework helps focus the research program on long-term goals while the annual SRPs respond to available resources, new opportunities, and emerging environmental and management issues.


VII. Implementation

Based on priorities identified within the SRP, Requests for Proposals (RFPs) will be distributed to the scientific community and resource managers in the fall of each year, for consideration under a competitive grants program managed by the Sanctuary staff. RFPs will contain background on logistical and other support provided by the Sanctuary (e.g. vessel support, financial support, accommodations, letters of support to other programs). Sanctuary staff, with input from the RAC, will review, rank, and fund proposals according to scientific merit, consistency with Sanctuary goals, and budget considerations. It is anticipated that principal investigators will be notified of decisions regarding proposals no later than spring following submission. OCNMS staff will organize logistical support as appropriate in advance of field seasons.


VIII. Summary

The ultimate purpose of the OCNMS research program is to improve our understanding of the Sanctuary's marine ecosystems and coastal resources, and to guide management decisions regarding these resources. The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is large enough to explore ecosystem function on both regional and local scales. Compiling existing information and developing a focused research and monitoring program along with gathering appropriate baseline information will improve our understanding of the ecosystem. Further challenges lie in identifying the primary threats and perturbations to the Sanctuary's resources, then selecting and monitoring the appropriate indicators of those perturbations. When changes are detected, additional research projects may be initiated to determine the causes of changes. Models can be developed to predict future changes. Management strategies will be based on the results of monitoring, experiments, and models. Through long-term, continuous monitoring we can determine the effectiveness of management strategies and guide strategic planning of future research. Throughout this process, information will become available to scientists, educators and policy makers to improve our understanding of the environment and foster cooperative research. This process will provide Sanctuary management with the information needed to make sound, scientific decisions to ensure the continued health of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.


Literature Cited

Basta, D.J. and S.R. Gittings. 2000. Discover the National Marine Sanctuaries: A Research Prospectus. NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program.

Bowlby, C.E., B.A. Blackie, and J.K. Parrish, and B. Blackie (editors). 2001. Olympic Coast National Marine: Proceedings of the 1998 Research Workshop, Seattle, Washington. Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series MSD-01-04. U.S. Dept. Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Marine Sanctuaries Division, Silver Spring, MD. 84 pp.

NOAA. 1993. Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Final environmental impact statement/management plan, 2 vol.

NOAA. 1999. Science Plan for the National Marine Sanctuary System. NOAA Marine Sanctuary Division. 6 pp.

Strickland, R. 1996. Olympic Coast Marine Research. Proceedings of a Workshop, Forks, Washington, Jan. 24-26, 1996.