Implementation Plan

This plan is the operating document for years 2007 to 2009. It translates the vision of the WSG Strategic Plan into a functional format, moving from goals and objectives to an integrated action plan for this period.

I.  Introduction

The Region

The state of Washington has an extraordinarily broad base of marine resources, including numerous species of fish and wildlife. The state’s 3,025-mile tidal shoreline ranges from rocky headlands and sandy beaches to large rural estuaries and one of the nation’s fastest-growing urban shorelines. Washington waters include four major estuaries, with Puget Sound the largest.

While no longer pristine, the state’s coastal environment still includes lengthy stretches that are not significantly altered by human activities. The richness of Washington’s coastal and marine environments, and the state’s location as a gateway to Alaska and the Pacific Rim, contribute to a strong regional marine-related economy, with high employment in the marine sector.

Washington's population surged by 120,000 in 2005, pushing the total to nearly 6.4 million, and more in-migration is expected as the state’s economy continues to pump out new jobs. Washington's employment has been growing twice as fast as the national average and is proving to be a magnet for strong population growth. If the trend continues, Washington will grow to 6.8 million people by 2010 – an increase of 1 million over the course of this decade. Since 2000, growth has been largely concentrated in western Washington, with the largest gains occurring around Puget Sound.

Environmental stresses caused by job and population growth are clear. Puget Sound killer whales were listed as endangered in 2005, and in 2006 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) proposed that most of Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca be designated as killer whale critical habitat. Since 1999, 13 runs of Washington state salmon and related salmonids have been listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. Another 18 species of marine fish in Puget Sound have been proposed as candidates for listing. In December 2005, Governor Christine Gregoire created the Puget Sound Partnership, which includes the University of Washington. The partnership is charged with making high-level recommendations on a comprehensive plan for integrating the work of local, state and federal governments with private sector and citizen efforts to protect and restore the Sound.

The impact of growth and development on Washington’s coast and estuaries underscores the need for broad and effective marine research and education programs. For example, while many policymakers, researchers and marine industry leaders express urgent concern over the health of the Puget Sound ecosystem, a public opinion survey found that 73 percent of those surveyed in the region believe that the health of Puget Sound is “excellent” or “pretty good.”

Away from the inland waters of Puget Sound, Washington’s ocean and coastal resources make up some of the state’s most valuable assets. Commercial fisheries are based in numerous coastal ports, and landings revenues in 2004 totaled more than $100 million. Thirty-three of the state’s 39 counties contain public port districts, which shipped goods worth more than $100 billion in 1997. Much of the state’s $11-billion-a-year tourism industry is based in coastal areas.

Institutional Context and Involvement

Located at the University of Washington (UW), Washington Sea Grant (WSG) is one of five operating units of the College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences.  WSG has university-wide and statewide responsibilities, carrying out planning and management duties in addition to significant research, outreach and education activities. WSG management and staff provide funding and oversight for externally funded research and education projects; they also participate in such projects. WSG works with multiple colleges within the UW system and with other institutions of higher education throughout the Pacific Northwest. From 2000 through 2005, active WSG projects spanned 15 departments and six colleges at the UW, seven other institutions of higher education in Washington, Idaho and Arizona, and additional educational organizations and institutions in the state and across the nation.

WSG projects and programs affect marine resources in Washington, the Pacific Northwest and international waters. The Alaska fishing fleet, which harvests and processes the largest fish catches in the nation, is based in Washington, as is most of this fleet’s support structure. The impacts of WSG research, particularly in the areas of biotechnology and marine products, are felt across the nation and around the world. WSG education programs are a national resource and include fellowship programs and teacher training, among other activities. WSG benefits from close interaction with elements of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other federal agencies and laboratories. Three major NOAA laboratories and a substantial portion of other NOAA line offices are located in the Seattle area. WSG also collaborates and interacts extensively with scientists and resource managers at state agencies, as well as government and academic marine institutions in neighboring British Columbia, Canada.

WSG works with a broad range of partners concerned with the use and conservation of the marine environment and its resources. It also helps support the needs of an even larger set of stakeholders. Stakeholders include: the faculty, staff and students in departments and colleges of the University of Washington and other institutions of higher learning in Washington state and beyond; NOAA; state and federal agencies; local and tribal governments; non-governmental organizations; K-12 administrators, schools and teachers; industries and businesses; the news media; and the public.

II. Strategic Plans and Implementation Plan Development

Strategic Planning

This implementation plan will be the WSG operating document for the years from 2007 to 2009.  Its purpose is to translate the vision described in the strategic plan into a functional format, moving from goals and objectives to an integrated action plan. Central to that effort is the vision articulated in the Strategic Plan 2004-2010:

“WSG focuses on excellence, innovation and societal impact. We are committed to high standards of accountability and scientific integrity. WSG seeks to forge tools, foster insights and create partnerships that identify and manage marine resources. At any given time, WSG supports a portfolio of high-quality research, education and outreach projects and activities. In assembling this portfolio, WSG balances long-term stability through funding of established investigators, while seeking out new, young investigators and emerging fields of marine research and education. We emphasize interdisciplinary studies and support activities that are unique in the state and the region and those that emphasize the educational role of Sea Grant.

“Through judicious use of partnerships, co-funding and interaction with federal and state agencies, academic institutions, community groups and industry, WSG can accomplish much more than it would on its own. Such relationships offer far more than the sharing of limited financial resources. They also provide access to markets, audiences and opportunities that might otherwise lie beyond an individual program’s reach. By working cooperatively with government agencies, participating in industry projects and interacting with community groups, WSG staff become aware of emerging issues and trends in research, education and commerce, as well as the needs of marine user groups and other stakeholders. WSG uses its network of advisory agents, program staff, faculty members and associates to listen and respond to those needs.”

At a national level, the WSG strategic plan reflects the priorities of NOAA and the National Sea Grant College Program.  The 30 state and territorial members who make up the national Sea Grant network have identified 11 themes and three national priority areas. All of the national themes and priority areas apply to Washington state, and all have been incorporated, to some extent, into the current WSG strategic plan.

National themes are:

National priority areas are:

WSG produced its original strategic plan in 2000, after considering comments from 1999 Program Assessment Team and National Sea Grant Office reviews. The current update is the work of the WSG strategic planning team, with input from all WSG staff, key stakeholders and friends of WSG. Data gathered for the update came from a series of planning discussions, a survey of constituent needs and the records and institutional memory of the WSG organization. The Strategic Plan focuses on five critical areas most relevant to Washington state and is consistent with the areas of interest to the Sea Grant network and NOAA, as identified in NOAA Strategic Plans (2003-2008), the NOAA-Sea Grant Strategic Plan and the Sea Grant network Theme Team materials. These five areas are:

For each critical program area, WSG identified goals and objectives that describe the direction and intent of each activity. The goals are broad and speak to the need to conserve, use, understand or otherwise interact with the natural resources and environment of Washington, the Pacific Northwest and the nation.  The relationship of the 2007-2009 Implementation Plan with the national documents listed above is illustrated in the matrix at the end of section II.

Implementation Plan Development

WSG strives to create a broad-based portfolio of research, education and outreach activities, focusing on traditional Sea Grant strengths. Decisions to initiate and support research, education and outreach projects are based on an examination of benefits to be derived and the unique contribution that Sea Grant can make. In deciding whether to include new activities in WSG, the following questions are addressed:

If the answer to all four questions is “yes,” the activity can be considered for inclusion in the program.

The best Sea Grant research projects combine scientific excellence and a focus on problems or opportunities of broad societal concern, such as resource management, public interest or industry application. Research projects are also judged on their scientific quality, the significance of their expected scientific contributions, and their national competitiveness.

The best Sea Grant education projects also focus on problems or opportunities of broad societal concern, such as resource management, public interest or industry application. Education projects must be innovative, objective and impartial and have potential as models or for long-term use.  They require linkage of the information or programming to a strong science base and must consider the importance of the target audience and readiness of that audience to receive the information or programming.

All Sea Grant research and education projects are required to develop milestones and to meet several shared criteria:

Outreach actions are developed on a biennial basis and updated annually.  The primary mechanism for determining outreach components and establishing milestones is through the development of work plans for each staff member.  Staff members consult extensively with key stakeholders, including state agencies, community leaders and constituents with whom they work.  Initial plans are discussed at length with the program manager.  Combined outreach plans for Marine Advisory Services (MAS), communications and education are assembled and reviewed comprehensively by the management team, peers in other Sea Grant and university programs and the WSG Advisory Committee.  The plans are then revised, based on the comments received and used in development of integrated outreach actions and the implementation plan.

Implementation Plan, Program Matrix-2007-09 Projects

Implementation Plan, continued