South Atlantic and Caribbean Regional Marine Research Plan

Author unknown

Coastal ecosystem processes generally function on regional scales that fall between federal and state or local interests. Ocean currents, frontal systems, diversity and extent of wildlife, habitats, and marine and terrestrial basins often cross state boundaries but are not of a national scale. In order to understand and effectively manage coastal ecosystems it is necessary to study environmental conditions, processes, functions, and responses to perturbations on regional scales. For years standard scientific method and standard funding mechanisms have supported detailed studies of individual disciplines and individual processes. Studies were generally conducted in response to issue-specific or site-specific concerns or in an attempt to characterize a particular process or locale. State funding is generally allocated for remediating local problems. Federal funding is generally allocated based on national priorities which may not reflect regional issues or concerns. The Regional Marine Research Program offers an opportunity for a new and unique method of addressing the generation, synthesis, and application of scientific research and the resultant environmental understanding from an ecosystem perspective on a regional scale. The Regional Marine Research Program was designed to support regional, interdisciplinary, and applied research in an effort to address problems of coastal water quality and ecosystem health. The Regional Marine Research Program can look beyond purely local concerns and demands for "quick fixes" and work to establish a foundation or a_framework of cooperation and understanding that will serve both the research science and resource management communities for a long period of time. In so doing, the Regional Marine Research Program can also serve a vital role in providing for the longterm coordination of coastal research scientists and resource managers.