Arctic Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning and the Role of the Arctic People

The Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission and the Environmental Law Institute bring together representatives of Arctic communities and federal agencies to begin a national conversation about U.S. Arctic coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP). The discussion will center on the rights, traditions, and experiences of the Arctic people; existing co-management practices; competing management imperatives; and how to build from the existing system toward an Arctic marine spatial planning framework.

This event is free and open to the public, but please RSVP to mcmurrin@eli.org by March 10 and note whether you wish to attend or call in. Space is limited, so please check the event posting at www.eli.org (under Upcoming) to see if space is still available. If you wish to join the session via conference call, call-in information will be emailed out one business day prior to the event.

The meeting is divided into three sessions:

Welcome & Coffee (8:30 - 8:45 am)

• Kathryn Mengerink, Director, Ocean Program, Environmental Law Institute
• Harry Brower, Chair, Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission

Session 1. Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning: Purpose and Concept (8:45 - 10:00 am)

In this first session, panelists will set the stage for the subsequent discussions. They will introduce the scientific rationale for developing a CMSP framework, the Task Force CMSP framework recommendations, and will consider the unique nature of the Arctic that must be taken into account when implementing regional CMSP. The presentations will establish the framework for discussing how to build from existing management approaches to Arctic CMSP throughout the day.

Moderator: Kathryn Mengerink, Director, Ocean Program, Environmental Law Institute

• Paul Sandifer, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration
• Kate Moran, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President
• Eleanor Huffines, Manager, US Arctic Program, Pew Charitable Trusts

Session 2. The Arctic: A Unique People and a Unique Region Requires a Unique Approach (10:00 - 11:00 am)

In this session panelists will provide the context within which CMSP will develop. In particular, panelists will discuss the history of the region and the people and the critical role that traditional ecosystem knowledge plays when managing resources. The discussion following the presentations will focus on the linkage between traditional knowledge and CMSP.

Moderator: Anne Henshaw, Program Officer, Environmental Program, Oak Foundation

• George Noongwook, Commissioner, Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission
• Craig George, Senior Wildlife Biologist, North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management
• Caleb Pungowiyi, Arctic Rural Liaison/Senior Advisor, Oceana

Session 3. Integrating Competing Imperatives in the Co-Managed Arctic Ocean: The Management Challenge (11:15 am - 12:30 pm / 2:00 - 3:30 pm)

In this two-part session, panelists will discuss the role and rights of the subsistence community in co-managing Arctic resources. Within the context of this co-management system, panelists will discuss the competing imperatives: development, transportation, conservation, and techniques for protecting local uses. Following the presentations, the panelists and audience will engage in dialogue about how to move from the existing management framework towards CMSP. The first part will start at 11:15, followed by a lunch break at 12:30, and the second part will begin at 2:00.

Moderator: Timothy Ragen or Michael Gosliner, Marine Mammal Commission

• Harry Brower, Chair, Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission
• Vera Metcalf, Director, Eskimo Walrus Commission
• Monica Medina, Senior Advisor, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Captain James J. Fisher, Chief, Office of Policy Integration, United States Coast Guard
• Jessica Lefevre, Counsel, Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission
• TBA, North Slope Borough, Alaska
• TBA, Minerals Management Service

Click here for more information on ELI’s Ocean Seminar Series This meeting is made possibly by generous support from the Naomi and Nehemiah Cohen Foundation and the Oak Foundation.