"In the coastal waters near SEA's campus (Buzzards Bay, Vineyard Sound, Nantucket Sound), you have issues of where to site large scale wind turbines, where to dump dredge material, how to regulate oil barge traffic, how to reduce nitrogen loading, and how to rebuild roseate tern populations just to name a few. Oftentimes these issues interrelate. If we can get all the user groups talking with one another and armed with robust and accessible science, then the ocean management decisions may be quicker, better and more transparent than they are today. Science and negotiation may play a larger role. Politics and litigation may play a lesser role. This would be a good thing."

- John Bullard, President, Sea Education Association in Woods Hole

Socioeconomic, biological, and geophysical science integration will largely occur via input to EEA’s Science Advisory Council which will be informed directly by the six, state-assigned Workgroups.  The Massachusetts Ocean Partnership and its consultants are supporting these efforts by:

• Consulting on development of the integrated planning framework
• Assisting with coastal/ocean data inventory
• Enhancing the state’s data network (MORIS) through data integration and improved functionality
• Assisting with acquisition of priority datasets
• Identifying, evaluating and supporting application of decision support tools, including integrated ecosystem/economic models
• Conducting economic valuation studies
• Assisting with development of performance indicators