Presentation for NOAA SAB Working Group on Extension, Outreach and Education Usha Varanasi Science and Research Director Northwest Fisheries Science Center NOAA Fisheries Service July 24, 2007

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Provide the science needed to conserve & manage living marine resources & their ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest Northwest Fisheries Science Center Science that is: Science that is: relevantrelevant responsiveresponsive reliablereliable respectedrespected innovativeinnovative

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Goal: Educate, Excite, and Empower people to understand earth systems and be stewards of our planet Value of Outreach, Education, & Extension Allow managers/policy makers to make sound decisions Foster a diverse, and interdisciplinary workforceFoster a diverse, and interdisciplinary workforce Help create a well-informed and motivated public

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Ecosystem-based management and “Sound Science” in Puget Sound Seafood dilemma - a way forward Oceans and Human Health Center Three examples

Puget Sound: Ecosystem-based management Challenges: Science is complex, fragmentedScience is complex, fragmented Science needs to be open and sharedScience needs to be open and shared Science needs to be understood, valued and usedScience needs to be understood, valued and used

“Sound Science” Accessible descriptions -ecosystem goods and services in Puget Sound -connections between species, habitats, humans and specific locations -current and future threats to species and habitats -key science needs for promoting a healthier Puget Sound Foundational document to inform on-going and future management of Puget Sound Collaborative -Over 30 authors from 12 institutions engaged 100 scientists to produce and review the document

Sound Science Signing Ceremony January 16, 2007

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Puget Sound Partnership NOAA West Translation of Science into Action Science collaboration Outreach & education Puget Sound ecosystem recovery

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center NOAA Regional Collaboration – 8 Regions

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Hurricane Katrina, an example of readiness

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center NATURE Volume (22), September 2005 NATURE Volume 437(22), September 2005

Seafood Dilemma - Challenges Weighing benefits -vs- risks A changing seafood supply: domestic -vs- foreign (wild -vs- cultured) Improving the flow of information

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center The need for good information

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Managing the seafood dilemma Recommendations: Establish national seafood assessment programEstablish national seafood assessment program Better monitoring, tracking and labelingBetter monitoring, tracking and labeling Standardized regulatory measures among federal agenciesStandardized regulatory measures among federal agencies Increase analytical capability to measure risks and benefitsIncrease analytical capability to measure risks and benefits Provide user friendly data management and improve communicationProvide user friendly data management and improve communication Provide program oversightProvide program oversight

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center OHH Strategy: Goals & Outcomes Humans Environmental Variability & Climate Sentinels (fish & marine mammals) Sentinels (fish & marine mammals) Seafood (shellfish & fish) & Water Quality Seafood (shellfish & fish) & Water Quality Oceans Pathogens Biotoxins Toxic Chemicals --Better able to mitigate threats to human health from key stressors and contaminated seafood --Better able to evaluate risks and benefits of eating different seafood products --Better understand how key stressors influence human health --Better able to forecast threats to human health

Public opinion polling in 2006: an awareness problem 97%97% believe that ‘a healthy Puget Sound is a legacy that we must leave to our children’ 25%Only 25% rate the health of Puget Sound as ‘not so good’ or ‘poor’ pugetsoundpartnership.org

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center OceanHumans Environmental Quality Monitoring Public Health Recreation Seafood Supply & Safety Healthy Ecosystems Climate and Weather Monitoring Coastal Hazards Information Ballast Water Management Eutrophication Habitat Restoration Natural Disasters & Spills Making the Connections Sentinels/Vectors Water Quality Visiting scholarsVisiting scholars TraineeshipsTraineeships EducationEducation OutreachOutreach External partnersExternal partners

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center OHH Products & Activities Educator workshops & middle school internship College seminar series Informational one-pagers Community events Website Partnering to reach stakeholders

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Partnering good scientists and communicators Need tools for measuring success How do we get biggest bang for our buck? Challenges to Outreach, Education, & Extension

NWFSC Communications Team Science background Education expertise Informal K-12 education Educator workshops NOAA Science Camp Outreach Materials Briefing books One-pagers Media Relations Press releases Web articles Stakeholders Community talks Science Symposium Partnerships Seattle Aquarium Pacific Science Center

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Lessons Learned Ensure science is relevant, easily understood, and used by publicEnsure science is relevant, easily understood, and used by public Take a leadership roleTake a leadership role Leverage existing resourcesLeverage existing resources Use partnerships to reach constituentsUse partnerships to reach constituents

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Recommendations Make wise investmentsMake wise investments Develop smart performance measuresDevelop smart performance measures Recognize and capitalize on opportunitiesRecognize and capitalize on opportunities

THANK YOU

Transition slide extras

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center Questions to ponder Focus on Central -vs- Regional programs?Focus on Central -vs- Regional programs? Who will staff extension, outreach and education?Who will staff extension, outreach and education? Should funding for extension, outreach & education be separate or come from programmatic funds?Should funding for extension, outreach & education be separate or come from programmatic funds?

NOAA West Line Offices National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS)National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) National Ocean Service (NOS)National Ocean Service (NOS) National Weather Service (NWS)National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO)

NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center The West Coast Governors’ Agreement on Ocean Health …initially focused on state governments of Washington, Oregon, and California. A new federal interagency group is now working with the states to identify ways to collaborate. Partners …co-chairs the federal workgroup and has formed a subgroup under the NOAA Western Region to coordinate internally. NOAA …touch on a broad range of issues, including ecosystem management, habitat protection / restoration, ocean and coastal science, coastal and offshore development, and ocean literacy. Priorities

Oceans and Human Health - Audiences Outreach to Constituents NOAA and DOC Congress Scientific Community Resource Managers Public Health Managers Beach Managers Shellfishers, Fishers Utility workers Public Civic groups Coastal residents and visitors Outreach to Regional and Local Governments Community planners Sea Grant Education providers Regulators Policy makers Education Graduate students Undergraduate Teachers Students