MBSF: Strategic Plan

1.	Mission Statement The mission of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation is to advance the understanding and protection of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and other coastal and ocean resources in California. The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation will continue to partner closely with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the largest of our thirteen national marine sanctuaries. Additionally, the organization will engage in areas of special focus and as a fiscal sponsor for ocean and coastal-related initiatives in California, as described below.

2.	Vital Few Objectives; Areas of Focus

	a.	Science-based Monitoring and Reporting Currently focused primarily on the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network, SIMoN: Monitoring and reporting on the health of the ocean ecosystem, communicating the outcomes of research and science activities from many organizations to resource managers, policy makers, academia and the general public. SIMoN is a National Marine Sanctuary Program model for comparable efforts elsewhere, including the Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Banks and Channel Islands sanctuaries. SIMoN’s database resources and communication methods are also serving as the model for the national ocean observing system being created. Since 2001, the MBSF has received over $8.6M in funding to support the SIMoN program, from public and private sources.

	b.	Education, with an Emphasis on Underserved Constituencies Initial efforts are centered on the Multicultural Education for Resources Issues Threatening Oceans, MERITO: A collaborative community initiative to reach underserved constituents, beginning with the Hispanic people of Salinas Valley, Watsonville and Pajaro. The program is a National Marine Sanctuary Program model for comparable efforts elsewhere, including the Channel Islands. MBSF efforts in this area will work to ensure cooperation and collaboration with other nonprofit education initiatives.

	c.	Water Quality Within the MBNMS, the Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) is an “umbrella” for many projects including the Agriculture and Rural Lands initiatives, the Citizen Watershed Monitoring Network, Urban Runoff and work with Marinas and Boating. The program is widely acclaimed as a great working example of the value of collective agency, nonprofit and citizen action. Our relationships include the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service, County Farm Bureaus, the State Coastal Conservancy, the State Water Resources Control Board and many others. Additional efforts are anticipated in the area of beach closures and contamination.

	d.	Marine Protected Areas and Reserves One area of focus that involves many federal and state agencies, and wider scope, is Marine Protected Areas and Reserves. This is an important component in restoring and conserving ocean and coastal resources. MBSF efforts in this area will work to ensure cooperation and collaboration with other initiatives, such as the MBA Center for the Future of the Oceans, the California Marine Life Protection Act and California Ocean Protection Council. Since early 2006, the California Ocean Protection Council and the State Coastal Conservancy have awarded over $2.71M to the MBSF to design and manage a seafloor and habitat mapping project in north-central California, as part of the next phases of the MLPA process.

	e.	Fiscal Sponsorship Fiscal sponsorship is a valuable “niche” service to augment federal and state agency budgets and aid in the implementation of their programs. If a program is consistent with the MBSF mission, and funding is in-place or will be secured, the organization will consider serving as a sponsor and handling the fund administration and related aspects of the project. Unlike items a though d above, MBSF incremental/discretionary funds investments in these programs will be limited. Sponsorship agreements support a variety of organizations including; the Channel Islands and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary’s enforcement and research activities; the National Marine Fisheries Service conservation and research programs; and the Bureau of Land Management’s, California Coastal National Monument initiative, and others.