WHOI-90-52

Electronic Inruentation and Coasl Resources Management in the 199
Artur G. Gaines, Jr.
Mare Policy Center
Woos Hole Ocographic Institution
and
Marc Mason
ENDECO/YSI, Inc.
This paper deas with the growing nee for electronic instrments designed for use in monitoring
and managing coasta resources. Increase activity in monitoring U.S. coasta waters is evident
at many levels of government as well as in private organizations. For example, the EP A "bays
progra" beginng with Chesapee Bay is a monitoring/management concept that has spread
to regional water bodies around the countr, such as Puget Sound, Nargansett Bay, Buzzads
Bay, Massachusetts Bay and others. The very strong soial context of environmenta issues
around the world, including eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, suggest a more vigorous
monitorig and management effort wil be fortcoming, as governments respond to citizen base
priorities. In this arcle, we focus on smaller local programs which wil be neeed in large
numbers in the yeas to come.
Smal harbors and brackish ponds along the U.S. coast playa vita role in sustaning the
ecnomies of coasta towns and communities. In fact, the value place on comparatively minor
coasta features by residents of these areas goes well beyond the assoiate market value of the
coasta-dependent goos and services. For many communities, the meaing of pollution has been
brought home by close shellfish beds or swimming beaches, disclored water and unpleasat
smells or accumulations at the shoreline. With increase congestion of harbors by boats, the
threat of contamination from marne toilets and antifouling compounds are growing concerns.
~ Resource Management
A number of factors suggest that the town level of government wil play an increasing role in
coasta and harbor management in the future. Among these are: more state requirements and
financial incentives for harbor and other coasta management planning at ,the loc level;
inadequate state or federa programs (or funding) to address loc environmenta concerns; and
growing impatience by loc citizens and officials to wait for outside groups to tae action, at
a time of unprecented pressure for coasta development. Most of these comments apply
lakes and ponds around the nation.
equally to thousads of small
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