[SEMCO] Lecture highlights Mass Oceans Act

[Melissa Lowe]

UPCOMING LECTURE

"Waves of Change: Guiding Ocean Use with the Mass. Oceans Management Act"

Wednesday, July 11, 7 p.m.
at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Massachusetts' ocean waters comprise some 1.6 million acres of subtidal land extending along a coastline of more than 1500 miles. These waters are integral parts of the Gulf of Maine and the Mid-Atlantic Bight-two of the most biologically productive marine ecosystems in the world, as well as vital to the state's culture, history, and economy. The ocean is home to fragile and critical underwater habitat that, for thousands of years, has supported groundfish like Atlantic cod and endangered species like right whales. 

There is concern, however, over the changing nature and increase use of the Bay State's ocean waters including proposals for liquefied natural gas terminals, sand and gravel mining, desalinization plants, deepwater aquaculture and wind energy facilities. The concerns of such impacts on our valuable ocean resources led to the formation of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Task Force in 2003 and their recommendations for guiding ocean development. In 2006, The Massachusetts Oceans Management Act was filed by Cape & Islands Senator Robert O'Leary and unanimously passed by the Massachusetts Senate. This same bill has been re-filed in 2007. 

At a lecture scheduled for Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m., Rob Moir, Manager for the Massachusetts Ocean Coalition, will describe the issues facing our oceans, what coalition members are calling for, and how the Commonwealth is preparing to better address them.

The presentation will be held at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary located on Route 6 in South Wellfleet. The lecture is FREE. Registration is not required. Call the Sanctuary at 508-349-2615 for more information.

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Melissa Lowe, Education Coordinator
Mass Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
PO Box 236, South Wellfleet, MA 02663
mlowe at massaudubon.org
508-349-2615, ext 107

Protecting the Nature of Massachusetts
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay