Ocean Special Area Management Plan (Ocean SAMP):

The Ocean Special Area Management Plan (Ocean SAMP), adopted by the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council last year serves as a regulatory, planning and adaptive management tool of the CRMC to uphold its regulatory responsibilities in the ocean environment. Using the best available science and working with well-informed and committed resource users, researchers, environmental and civic organizations, and local, state and federal government agencies, the Ocean SAMP provides a comprehensive understanding of this complex and rich ecosystem.

The Ocean SAMP also documents how the people of Rhode Island have used and depended upon these offshore resources for subsistence, work, and play. It also documents important natural wildlife, fish, birds, marine mammals and sea turtles, their habitats and areas important to their survival. To fulfill the Council’s mandate, the Ocean SAMP lays out enforceable policies and recommendations to guide CRMC in promoting a balanced and comprehensive ecosystem-based management approach to the development and protection of Rhode Island’s ocean-based resources within the state waters of the Ocean SAMP study area.

The comments raised by the agency’s federal partner National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are being proposed for incorporation herein to address issues that will bring the plan into conformance with federal CZMA requirements. These proposed changes will serve as revisions to the Ocean SAMP document, approved on October 19, 2010.

Additionally, please go to the following websites to review the proposed revisions: www.crmc.ri.gov/samp_ocean.html and http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/oceansamp/.

The purpose of these proposed revisions to the Ocean Special Area Management Plan are in response to comments received from the NOAA Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management to address issues that would bring the plan into conformance with federal CZMA requirements.