Coastal Habitat Protection Plan A Plan to Protect The overarching goal of the N.C. Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP) is long-term enhancement of coastal fisheries through habitat protection and enhancement efforts. The North Carolina Marine Fisheries, Environmental Management, and Coastal Resources Commissions unanimously adopted the North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan in December 2004. The document provides information on the habitats’ distribution and abundance, ecological functions and importance to fish production, status and trends, threats to the habitats, and includes recommendations to address threats. The Coastal Habitat Protection Plan is revised every five years to reflect changes in the status of habitat protection in North Carolina. CHPP Process Development and implementation of the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan is a N.C. Department of Environmental Quality effort. Staff from the department’s divisions with jurisdiction over marine fisheries, water quality and coastal management participate in plan development and implementation. This CHPP Team, consists of staff from the Division of Marine Fisheries, Division of Coastal Management, Division of Water Resources, and Division of Energy, Minerals, and Land Resources. Other agencies, such as Albermarle-Pamlico National Estuarine Partnership, Wildlife Resource Commission, Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources, Division of Mitigation Services, and Soil and Water Conservation District have participated on the CHPP Team. To implement recommendations of the plan, the CHPP team develops specific implementation actions. The CHPP Steering Committee, which consists of two commissioners from the Marine Fisheries, Coastal Resources and Environmental Management commissions reviews and approves the plan, recommendations and implementation actions. They also meet regularly to discuss cross-cutting habitat and water quality issues and solutions and receive updates on CHPP progress. Members of the CHPP Steering Committee serve as liaisons to their full commissions to improve communication across commissions. 2021 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan Amendment The NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2021 Amendment was approved by the Marine Fisheries, Environmental Management, and Coastal Resources commissions in November 2021 and by the Department of Environmental Quality in December 2021. It was transmitted to the General Assembly in January 2022. The CHPP received overwhelming public support for implementation of the recommended actions. The 2016 CHPP Source Document will continue to serve as the background document for the amendment. View the documents below to learn more. North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan - 2021 Amendment Appendix C. Public Comment Written Letters 2021 Research Priorities from the NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2016 CHPP Source Document CHPP Wetland Virtual Workshops Seventy participants from state and federal agencies, non-government organizations,and academia attended a series of three virtual technical workshops on coastal wetlands in August of 2020. Hosted by the CHPP Planning Team, the three workshops were convened to solicit input from coastal and palustrine wetland subject matter experts.The first workshop was titled Coastal Wetland Mappingand Monitoring (August 19th, 2020), the second was Coastal Wetland Threats and Conservation (August 25th, 2020), and the third was Coastal Wetland Restoration and Living Shorelines (August 26th, 2020). Information and input gathered from these workshops will be incorporated into the CHPP 2021 Amendment issue paper, Wetland Protection and Enhancement, with Focus on Nature-Based Methods. CHPP Wetland Virtual Workshops Summary Coastal Wetland Mapping Virtual Workshop August 19, 2020 Agenda Presentation: Emerging Technologies Presentation: Mapping and Evaluation Presentation: Coastal Wetland Mapping and Monitoring Coastal Wetland Threats and Conservation Virtual Workshop August 25, 2020 Agenda Presentation: N.C. Salt Marshes: Threats and Conservation Opportunities Presentation: North Carolina’s Coastal Freshwater Wetlands:Caught in the Middle Coastal Wetland Restoration and Living Shorelines Virtual Workshop August 26, 2020 Agenda Presentation: Beneficial Use of Dredged Sediments for Coastal Marsh Restoration Presentation: Increasing the Use of Living Shorelines for Wetlands Restoration CHPP Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workshop On March 4, 2020, seventy professionals from science, management, and conservation communities met at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh for the Clean Waters and SAV: Making the Connection technical workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to receive input for the 2021 NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP) regarding protection and restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) through water quality improvements. The workshop included information on the scientific links between SAV health and water quality, processes used in other states to successfully restore SAV, and discussions on data needs and potential mechanisms to preserve and improve water quality for the protection and restoration of SAV. Attendees represented federal, state, and local governments, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and groups that operate to integrate those management, scientific, and public spheres. CHPP Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workshop Summary Previous Coastal Habitat Protection Plans 2016 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2016 CHPP Source Document 2010 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2005 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan CHPP Implementation Plans 2018-2020 CHPP Implementation Plan2011-2013 CHPP Implementation Plan2009-2011 CHPP Implementation Plan2007-2009 CHPP Implementation Plan2005-2007 CHPP Implementation Plan Annual Reports 2015-16 Annual Report2014-15 Annual Report2013-14 Annual Report2012-13 Annual Report 2011-12 Annual Report 2010-11 Annual Report 2009-10 Annual Report 2008-09 Annual Report 2007-08 Annual Report 2006-07 Annual Report 2005-06 Annual Report2004-05 Annual Report Contact Information Anne Deaton Division of Marine Fisheries Anne.Deaton@ncdenr.gov Jimmy Johnson Albermarle-Pamlico National Estuarine Partnership Jimmy.Johnson@ncdenr.gov
Coastal Habitat Protection Plan A Plan to Protect The overarching goal of the N.C. Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP) is long-term enhancement of coastal fisheries through habitat protection and enhancement efforts. The North Carolina Marine Fisheries, Environmental Management, and Coastal Resources Commissions unanimously adopted the North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan in December 2004. The document provides information on the habitats’ distribution and abundance, ecological functions and importance to fish production, status and trends, threats to the habitats, and includes recommendations to address threats. The Coastal Habitat Protection Plan is revised every five years to reflect changes in the status of habitat protection in North Carolina. CHPP Process Development and implementation of the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan is a N.C. Department of Environmental Quality effort. Staff from the department’s divisions with jurisdiction over marine fisheries, water quality and coastal management participate in plan development and implementation. This CHPP Team, consists of staff from the Division of Marine Fisheries, Division of Coastal Management, Division of Water Resources, and Division of Energy, Minerals, and Land Resources. Other agencies, such as Albermarle-Pamlico National Estuarine Partnership, Wildlife Resource Commission, Division of Energy, Mineral and Land Resources, Division of Mitigation Services, and Soil and Water Conservation District have participated on the CHPP Team. To implement recommendations of the plan, the CHPP team develops specific implementation actions. The CHPP Steering Committee, which consists of two commissioners from the Marine Fisheries, Coastal Resources and Environmental Management commissions reviews and approves the plan, recommendations and implementation actions. They also meet regularly to discuss cross-cutting habitat and water quality issues and solutions and receive updates on CHPP progress. Members of the CHPP Steering Committee serve as liaisons to their full commissions to improve communication across commissions. 2021 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan Amendment The NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2021 Amendment was approved by the Marine Fisheries, Environmental Management, and Coastal Resources commissions in November 2021 and by the Department of Environmental Quality in December 2021. It was transmitted to the General Assembly in January 2022. The CHPP received overwhelming public support for implementation of the recommended actions. The 2016 CHPP Source Document will continue to serve as the background document for the amendment. View the documents below to learn more. North Carolina Coastal Habitat Protection Plan - 2021 Amendment Appendix C. Public Comment Written Letters 2021 Research Priorities from the NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2016 CHPP Source Document CHPP Wetland Virtual Workshops Seventy participants from state and federal agencies, non-government organizations,and academia attended a series of three virtual technical workshops on coastal wetlands in August of 2020. Hosted by the CHPP Planning Team, the three workshops were convened to solicit input from coastal and palustrine wetland subject matter experts.The first workshop was titled Coastal Wetland Mappingand Monitoring (August 19th, 2020), the second was Coastal Wetland Threats and Conservation (August 25th, 2020), and the third was Coastal Wetland Restoration and Living Shorelines (August 26th, 2020). Information and input gathered from these workshops will be incorporated into the CHPP 2021 Amendment issue paper, Wetland Protection and Enhancement, with Focus on Nature-Based Methods. CHPP Wetland Virtual Workshops Summary Coastal Wetland Mapping Virtual Workshop August 19, 2020 Agenda Presentation: Emerging Technologies Presentation: Mapping and Evaluation Presentation: Coastal Wetland Mapping and Monitoring Coastal Wetland Threats and Conservation Virtual Workshop August 25, 2020 Agenda Presentation: N.C. Salt Marshes: Threats and Conservation Opportunities Presentation: North Carolina’s Coastal Freshwater Wetlands:Caught in the Middle Coastal Wetland Restoration and Living Shorelines Virtual Workshop August 26, 2020 Agenda Presentation: Beneficial Use of Dredged Sediments for Coastal Marsh Restoration Presentation: Increasing the Use of Living Shorelines for Wetlands Restoration CHPP Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workshop On March 4, 2020, seventy professionals from science, management, and conservation communities met at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh for the Clean Waters and SAV: Making the Connection technical workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to receive input for the 2021 NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP) regarding protection and restoration of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) through water quality improvements. The workshop included information on the scientific links between SAV health and water quality, processes used in other states to successfully restore SAV, and discussions on data needs and potential mechanisms to preserve and improve water quality for the protection and restoration of SAV. Attendees represented federal, state, and local governments, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and groups that operate to integrate those management, scientific, and public spheres. CHPP Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workshop Summary Previous Coastal Habitat Protection Plans 2016 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2016 CHPP Source Document 2010 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan 2005 Coastal Habitat Protection Plan CHPP Implementation Plans 2018-2020 CHPP Implementation Plan2011-2013 CHPP Implementation Plan2009-2011 CHPP Implementation Plan2007-2009 CHPP Implementation Plan2005-2007 CHPP Implementation Plan Annual Reports 2015-16 Annual Report2014-15 Annual Report2013-14 Annual Report2012-13 Annual Report 2011-12 Annual Report 2010-11 Annual Report 2009-10 Annual Report 2008-09 Annual Report 2007-08 Annual Report 2006-07 Annual Report 2005-06 Annual Report2004-05 Annual Report Contact Information Anne Deaton Division of Marine Fisheries Anne.Deaton@ncdenr.gov Jimmy Johnson Albermarle-Pamlico National Estuarine Partnership Jimmy.Johnson@ncdenr.gov