In Rhode Island and around the country, coastal communities are working on plans to manage and sustain the ocean’s resources to generate new industries, support job creation, and provide food and services to an ever-increasing population.

A new short film, America’s Ocean Economy: Challenges and Opportunities, is the first in a series that explores this effort with ocean management practitioners from around the world. The film provides an overview of economic issues related to ocean planning.

Three additional films are scheduled to be released throughout the fall and will focus on ocean planning and offshore renewable energy, fisheries, and the environment.

The film series is part of Rhode Island’s effort to establish a model ocean planning state program, and to help inform discussions about ocean planning in the Northeast region. R. I. Coastal Resources Management Council, with URI and Coastal Resources Center/Sea Grant assistance and public input, developed the Rhode Island Ocean Special Area Management Plan (Ocean SAMP at seagrant.gso.uri.edu/oceansamp/).

In May, the Rhode Island team hosted an International Marine Spatial Planning Symposium that brought dozens of ocean planners and practitioners from around the world together to share their experiences and examine the field’s successes and difficulties.

“Our ocean is getting more crowded by the day with the expanding use of its natural resources,” said Sandra Whitehouse, senior advisor for Ocean Conservancy (and GSO alumna).  “Smart ocean planning makes smart business sense.  These films provide insight on the need, benefits and economic advantages for all the ways we use the ocean.”

To view the film, visit the web site at seagrant.gso.uri.edu/oceansamp/multimedia.html.
For more information, please see the full press release at http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/showcase/index.html#oceanvid