draft tomales bay vessel management plan - Gulf of the Farallones ...

STRATEGY VM-1: Implement siting criteria for vessel moorings in Tomales Bay
based on a marine spatial planning approach.
A typical mooring consists of a permanent weight on the seafloor attached to a chain and
a buoy. Moorings can damage the sensitive ecological resources and present a public
health and safety threat if they are not located in appropriate areas. In identifying the
potential risks to water quality, habitats, and public health, safety, and recreation, staff
from GFNMS and CSLC in partnership with TBIC agencies’ staff identified a list of
sensitive areas in Tomales Bay where biological resources or public health and safety are
likely to be negatively impacted by vessel mooring and operation. The practice of
mooring vessels in these areas has a high potential to degrade water quality, impact
sensitive habitat and/or wildlife, or threaten public safety.
Based on assessments of sensitive areas, identification of zones with jurisdictional
limitations and identification of locations within Tomales Bay where vessels have
historically been moored, GFNMS and CSLC staff implemented a comprehensive coastal
and marine spatial planning process to determine areas that are: 1) suitable for mooring;
2) areas where existing moorings should be relocated; and 3) areas where future
moorings should be prevented. This adaptive, integrated, and ecosystem-based approach
utilizes the best available information for analyzing current and anticipated uses of
Tomales Bay and determining appropriate mooring locations that are consistent with the
various mandates of the TBIC agencies and the TBVMP while allowing for continued
mooring of boats by the boating community. This approach will help ensure the
protection of water quality, natural resources, public health and safety, and recreation,
while allowing for mooring in the bay.
More detailed information on these sensitive areas and habitats within Tomales Bay can
be found in the Existing Environmental Conditions section of this document.
Activity VM 1.1 - Adopt criteria for siting of vessel moorings on Tomales Bay.
Upon consultation with the TBIC, GFNMS and CSLC have established criteria for the
siting of moorings on Tomales Bay to achieve the three goals of the plan: 1) Protect
public health and improve water quality; 2) Protect habitat and decrease threats to and
disturbance of wildlife; and 3) Ensure safe and enjoyable water-related recreation. This
action will involve GFNMS applying the criteria below as part of the conditions of the
permit or other legally supportable mechanism issued to CSLC. CSLC will then integrate
these criteria into leases issued under the vessel mooring leasing program. These criteria
will be applied through the issuance of leases under existing authorities and would not
require changes to existing laws and regulations. All moorings on Tomales Bay, with the
exception of those used for aquaculture operations within state water bottom lease areas,
will be required to meet the following eight criteria:
1. Seagrass: No vessel moorings shall be allowed in seagrass beds.
August 23, 2012
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