SIMoN
  Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network

About SIMoN

Tube anemone
SIMoN is an integrated, long-term program that takes an ecosystem approach to identify and understand changes within sanctuaries managed by the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. SIMoN provides resource managers with the information needed for effective decision-making and promotes an unparalleled basic understanding of the complex and unique marine processes within the California Current ecosystem. By gathering summary metadata from on-going, recently completed and historic monitoring and research projects within sanctuaries, SIMoN facilitates the critical but often overlooked communication between researchers, resource managers, educators and the public.

SIMoN provides sanctuary staff a powerful tool to quickly access summary information on hundreds of monitoring and research programs. Sanctuary staff also seeks to increase the effective use of scientific research by integrating existing programs and identifying gaps in information. To avoid duplicating programs and leverage available resources, managers must first know what has been done in the past and which programs continue to collect data. With this knowledge, managers can more effectively target their limited resources on surveying and characterizing under-studied habitats, assessing the impact of natural processes or human activities on specific resources, and implement relevant, long-term monitoring programs.

Finally, SIMoN serves to make the monitoring data available to managers, decision makers, the research community, and the general public. SIMoN serves as a hub for initiating and integrating data collecting efforts and disseminating information.

SIMoN Goals

  • Develop a database to track current and historic monitoring programs
  • Integrate existing monitoring programs conducted in the Sanctuary to provide a synoptic overview of this marine ecosystem
  • Initiate basic surveys or characterizations of all sanctuary habitats and regions
  • Establish a series of long-term monitoring efforts to fill in critical information gaps
  • Initiate specific, question-driven monitoring efforts with fixed durations
  • Provide timely and pertinent information to managers and decision makers, the research community, and the general public via a web site and other venues

    1999

    • SIMoN Advisory Committee initiated

    2000

    • Summary table of monitoring efforts in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) completed
    • Workshop to develop SIMoN priorities and approaches
    • SIMoN Plan completed
    • $425,000 agreement made (Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation/MBNMS/Duke Energy N.A./State Water Resources Control Board) to fund SIMoN Moss Landing Thermal Plume Assessment
    • Letters of support for SIMoN received: MBNMS Research Activities Panel (RAP) (November, 2000); Monterey Bay Crescent Ocean Research Consortium (December, 2000); MBNMS Sanctuary Advisory Council (February, 2001)
    • $1 million agreement made (Conservation groups/Duke Energy N.A./Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation) to fund SIMoN monitoring of Elkhorn Slough

    2001

    • MBNMS SIMoN Science Committee established
    • Protocols developed for SIMoN proposal development and review, as well as roles for the SIMoN Science Committee
    • Funds incorporated into MBNMS base budget for SIMoN staff
    • $2 million grant for SIMoN from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation received
    • Endorsement of SIMoN at the Leadership Team meeting of the National Marine Sanctuary Program

    2002

    • SIMoN received recognition from the National Marine Sanctuary Program with an Award for Science in Action
    • SIMoN office established Suite D, 299 Foam Street
    • SIMoN Letter of Agreement between MBNMS/Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation signed
    • SIMoN Memorandum of Understanding between Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation/Monterey Bay Aquarium completed
    • SIMoN Letter of Agreement MBNMS/Monterey Bay Aquarium signed
    • Release of the first set of SIMoN requests for proposals (RFPs), to monitor Elkhorn Slough and the Duke Moss Landing thermal outfall site
    • First SIMoN program specific staff hired
    • The SIMoN program is presented as a model for marine monitoring in South Korea, with a U.S. marine delegation
    • Management of the invasive Asian kelp Undaria pinnatifida begins in Monterey Harbor in collaboration with the City and the California Department of Fish and Game

    2003

    • SIMoN Elkhorn Slough Projects Workshop
    • Database to store monitoring project information developed
    • Web Interfaces created to load and query SIMoN monitoring information
    • SIMoN website released
    • SIMoN releases a report that assessed intertidal habitat types and human uses at Point Pinos
    • SIMoN Scientists complete a nearshore sub-tidal characterization project, using the RV Shearwater in collaboration with PISCO completed
    • Monthly SIMoN dive operations initiated

    2004


    2005


    2006


    2007

    • California Coastal and Marine Mapping Initiative launched
    • Development of a national registryof ocean observing programs
    • SIMoN Photo Library made available to the public online
    • Development of a web-based cruise planning tool for the National Marine Sanctuary Program, the Vessel Project Manager

    2008

    • The expanded SIMoN web site is released, including information from Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries
    • Species Database is launched!

    2009


    2010


    2011

    • A new Historical Ecology Timeline that intertwines anthropogenic and natural histories within the MBNMS since the 1500s
    • Combined research and monitoring projects for CB, GF and MBNMS reaches 150 entries
    • SIMoN Photo Library reaches 4000 images online

    2012

    • New iPhone app called SeaPhoto provides access to over 1,300 high quality images of over 550 species of marine life in MBNMS
    • SIMoN web site is overhauled with entire new look and format

    2013

    • New interactive mapping technology launched in conjunction with Sanctuary Ecologically Significant Areas (SESA) map
    • First SIMoN project mini-documentary produced: Lost in the Deep is about a shipping container lost at sea and discovered at the bottom of Monterey Bay in 2007

How to Get Involved


There are many ways to get involved with SIMoN. Depending on what your interests are, there are a variety of ways to lend your support to SIMoN, such as internship and volunteer opportunities, donations, and sharing monitoring information. Each of these opportunities are explained below.

Internship and Volunteer Opportunities

The SIMoN program has numerous volunteer and unpaid internship positions. There are limited field research assistance opportunities, volunteer watershed and coastal monitoring assistance is always welcomed, and other research and public outreach related roles. Many of our interns are participants in college credit programs. People interested in exploring the possibilities should send a brief letter of introduction and areas of interest by email to:
linda.rosinski@noaa.gov (for Monterey Bay)
christy.walker@noaa.gov (for Gulf of Farallones)

Donations and Financial Support

The SIMoN program is funded by numerous sources. Federal and state government agencies have seen the value of its initiatives and provided program-specific funding. Individuals, corporations, and private foundations are also important SIMoN supporters.

The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation (MBSF) serves as a fiscal sponsor for SIMoN. One major difference between the MBSF and the many other valuable nonprofit groups involved with the sanctuary is its broad reach and collaborative approach. MBSF has consistently been involved in combining the efforts of multiple groups to ensure more unity in the programs, better integration of information, and more efficient use of the funds available. MBSF believes that its management skill in facilitating collaborative efforts results in much more effective programs and ultimately, better conservation of the marine resources. The Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation has also been recognized as one of the most efficient nonprofit organizations serving the California coastal environment, with more than 90 percent of donations going directly to program support, rather than staff salaries and overhead.

There are many donor options available with the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation and the SIMoN program. In general, donations are either targeted toward general operating expenses or toward a specific program. In some instances, a donor identifies a need and the MBSF creates and implements a program to address it. In other cases, a donor or group of donors contribute to a restricted fund, targeted for a specific program.

For more information on how to contribute to the SIMoN program, please email info@mbnmsf.org or call 831-647-4209.

The Benefits of Participating in SIMoN

Sharing summary information about your monitoring projects with SIMoN can benefit your program, the regional research community, local resource management efforts, the national marine sanctuaries program, educators, and the general public. The benefits of sharing your monitoring project with SIMoN are far larger than the cost of time to gather and submit the necessary information. Some of these expected benefits include:
  • More informed decisions by local, regional, and national resource managers because monitoring information is in a format that is easily accessed and interpreted;
  • Enhanced education opportunities because of activities developed in association with monitoring projects on the SIMoN web site;
  • Increased frequency of research collaborations, and new hypotheses about ecosystem-level phenomena, with readily available interdisciplinary information;
  • Increased funding from some sources as individual projects demonstrate application to management and education through SIMoN;
  • Increased inclusion of monitoring information into environmental issue debates as the SIMoN web site regularly informs the public and elected officials.
SIMoN has developed a set of brief web-based forms that allow you to submit your monitoring project information over the Internet.

Access SIMoN InfoShare

Many of the fields can be filled by simple cut and paste operations from existing electronic documents (e.g., from an NSF proposal). SIMoN will also accept additional supporting materials from the project such as GIS data, digital images, and documents.

SIMoN does not seek to acquire raw data sets.

For more information download the SIMoN Information Packet.
2009 SIMoN Staff with team t-shirtsSIMoN staff in 2009 (left to right): Gary Conley, Chad King, Scott Chapman, Erica Burton, Jennifer Brown, Andrew DeVogelaere, Hugo Selbie, Jean de Marignac, Kristine Faloon, and Steve Lonhart.

SIMoN Staff


The complexity of the SIMoN program, from the funding and implementation of monitoring programs to the development of a large-scale information system, requires the right combination of staff knowledge and experience. Each member of the SIMoN team brings a unique set of skills to the program that work collectively to accomplish the goals of SIMoN.

Since its inception, SIMoN has had a fluctuating number of staff. Initially there were four positions: Director, Senior Scientist, Web Developer, and GIS Specialist. Over the years, these core positions changed, and additional members from the research team participated, as did Sea Grant Fellows and several interns. Below are profiles on the current members of the SIMoN team.
Andrew DeVogelaere

Andrew DeVogelaere, Ph.D.

Research Coordinator/SIMoN Program Director
(831) 647-4213
andrew.devogelaere@noaa.gov

Dr. DeVogelaere oversees the Sanctuary's Research Program and leads the the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) team. His job includes facilitating collaboration among over 20 research institutions in the region, providing technical information to decision makers and the Sanctuary staff, and initiating research on resource management issues.

He has been directly involved in a wide variety of research projects in habitats from the deep sea to estuaries. Dr. DeVogelaere's past work experience includes being an elected official as Commissioner for the Moss Landing Harbor District and Research Coordinator for the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of Science degree in Marine Science from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories and a Doctorate degree in Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz.
Steve LonhartSteve in the field. Photo by Pete Naylor, 2012

Steve I. Lonhart, Ph.D.

SIMoN Senior Scientist
(831) 420-3661
steve.lonhart@noaa.gov

Dr. Lonhart has worked as a marine ecologist for MBNMS since 2002. As the senior SIMoN Scientist, Steve is responsible for maintaining SIMoN's research and monitoring programs and implementing SIMoN's scientific goals to integrate existing monitoring programs within the sanctuary; supporting research and monitoring programs that address important resource management issues; and disseminating information to resource managers, researchers, educators, and the general public. He is also involved in several research and monitoring projects, including studies on the effectiveness of state marine protected areas, the ecological effects of invasive species, and the impact of nearshore processes of burial and exhumation on subtidal benthic communities.


Steve has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from UCLA, a Master of Science degree in Biology from California State University Long Beach, and a Doctorate in Biology from UC Santa Cruz. Though he has several interests in marine ecology, his scientific research has focused on invasion biology, kelp forest ecology, and marine invertebrate natural history, with an emphasis on marine gastropods.
Chad King

Chad King

SIMoN GIS and Data Specialist
(831) 647-4248
chad.king@noaa.gov

Chad is responsible for the collection, analyses, and dissemination of spatial data for SIMoN. These data help integrate past and present monitoring programs within the Sanctuary, provide resource managers with decision making tools, and will be available to researchers, educators, students, and the general public. Chad actively participates in the field with Sanctuary and SIMoN research teams.

Chad earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Science degree in Marine Science from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. His research focused on how the genetics of an algal symbiont and substratum instability affect the reproductive behavior of a sea anemone from the Gulf of Mexico. Previous research focused on kelp forest ecology. Prior to SIMoN, he was with the California Department of Fish and Game as a GIS Analyst. His work there primarily addressed spatial analyses of commercial fishing pressure and the correlation between rugosity of the sea floor and rockfish abundance. This included the coordination of high-resolution map development of the sea floor, GPS navigation, and rockfish counts using SCUBA.
Jen Brown

Jennifer Brown, Ph.D.

SIMoN Ecosystem Scientist
(415) 310-6764
jennifer.brown@noaa.gov

As the Ecosystem Scientist for the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN), Jennifer Brown is responsible for developing and coordinating ecosystem assessments at both local and regional levels. These ecosystem models and condition reports help address resource management needs for integrated monitoring information. Additionally, Jennifer provides science support for the Marine Protected Areas MBNMS Action Plan through the development of data summaries and resource assessments.

Jennifer has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from University of California at Los Angeles and a Doctorate Degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Her research focused on evaluating the relative value of nearshore ecosystems at nursery grounds for juvenile flatfish. Other past projects focused on the Monterey Bay area include: 1) A Review of Marine Zones in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary which is part of the National Marine Sanctuary Conservation Series, 2) A plan for monitoring the fish assemblage in Elkhorn Slough prepared for the Elkhorn Slough National Research Reserve, and 3) a review of the Special Status Species that reside in or transit through the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Scott Chapman

Scott Chapman

SIMoN Web Developer
scott.chapman@noaa.gov

Scott works with SIMoN's technical infrastructure. Using cutting-edge web technology, he is responsible for building and maintaining the SIMoN website, interfaces used to enter and manage monitoring information, and the SIMoN database.

Upon earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from San Jose State University, Scott worked as a software and quality assurance engineer for various software companies in Silicon Valley. Much of his development work utilized the latest web technologies to deliver interactive and dynamic content over the internet.

Scott is also a SCUBA instructor and has an MA in Exercise Physiology. Along with his part-time work for SIMoN, Scott is currently a full-time Assistant Dive Safety Officer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Brian Johnson

Brian Johnson

Deputy Superintendent, Gulf of Farallones NMS
brian.johnson@noaa.gov
(415) 561-6622

Brian Johnson is the Deputy Superintendent of the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. He is responsible for many aspects of managing the site including strategic planning, program operations, facilities, finance, IT, office administration, and of course, SIMoN. Brian has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from James Madison University, and a Master of Business Administration degree in International Business from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. Brian began his NOAA career in January 1995 with the NOAA Office of International Affairs, and worked for several offices in the National Ocean Service in Silver Spring, MD prior to joining the Sanctuary Program in October 2004.
Tim Reed

Tim Reed

SIMoN Marine GIS Analyst
tim.reed@noaa.gov
(415) 561-6622 x237

Tim is the SIMoN representative assigned to the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, which is headquartered at Crissy Field in San Francisco. Tim's ongoing assignment is to help integrate SIMoN monitoring strategies into the Sanctuary's stewardship plan and by providing maps and data analysis.

Tim has a long-standing interest in the application of mapping technologies for conservation. He received a BA in Geography from Sonoma State University in 1992 and an MA in 2003 from San Francisco State University with special emphasis in environmental planning and resource management. Tim also served as GIS Manager at SFSU from 1996 to 2003. Tim became active in coastal land use issues in Sonoma County in the late 1980s. He is currently active in the Society for Conservation GIS and served on their Board of Directors from 2002 to 2005. Tim is also an active science diver and occasional marine technician.
Dennis Long

Dennis Long

Executive Director, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation
lighthousegroup@earthlink.net

Dennis Long is Executive Director of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation, an organization closely aligned with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary program. The Foundation works to advance the understanding and protection of the Sanctuary and other coastal and ocean resources in California, with a special emphasis on fundraising and contract management for SIMoN initiatives. He is also extremely active in the nonprofit sector in both volunteer and professional capacities.

Previously, Dennis held a variety of executive management positions in high-technology companies, including IBM and Oracle Corporation. Dennis earned his Bachelors of Business Administration at the University of Massachusetts.
Linda Rosinski

Linda Rosinski

Grant and Contract Administrator, Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation
Linda.Rosinski@noaa.gov

Linda Rosinski is currently the Contract and Grant Administrator of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation (MBSF), an organization closely aligned with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary program. The Foundation works to advance the understanding and protection of the Sanctuary and other coastal and ocean resources in California, with a special emphasis on fundraising and contract management for SIMoN initiatives. In her time with SIMoN she has been responsible for the foundation's administration of Fund Accounting, Personnel, Contracts, Grants and Database Files.

Prior to her work with MBSF, Linda worked at the Campaign for Sunset, the largest project in Carmel's history, helping to raise $12 million for the $21.2 million project. She has a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Performing-Dance and a Degree in Fashion Merchandising/Design from California State University, Fresno. Growing up in the Monterey Peninsula, she values the importance of this beautiful Sanctuary.

Carol Maehr

Volunteer
c.maehr@worldnet.att.net

Carol gives presentations about SIMoN to various groups in the central and northern California area. She specializes in showing docent groups how they can use the SIMoN website to enhance their knowledge of sanctuary resources. Since 1983 Carol has been a volunteer docent at Pt. Lobos State Reserve and was the docent coordinator for seven years. Other activities Carol has been part of include the Beach COMBER program, conservation chair of the American Cetacean Society, member of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Conservation Working Group, volunteer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. Carol also contributes to the SIMoN Species Database, collating information on a variety of birds.

Carol received her B.S in Microbiology from the University of Cincinnati in 1970 and her R.N. from the University of Cincinnati in 1978. She's spent more than twenty five years in various nursing capacities in the medical industry.
To find out more about the Cordell Bank, Gulf of Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's research teams, use these links:
California Sea Grant Fellowship Program The California Sea Grant Fellowship program is an education opportunity for graduate students interested in marine resources and how they are managed in California. Modeled after the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship Program, the Fellowship program provides an opportunity to acquire on-the-job experience in the implementation of marine and coastal resource policies and programs in the state of California. Recent graduates with a Masters or PhD are matched with a host Federal or State agency for a 12-month paid fellowship.

The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has participated in this program for several years, and its Fellows have gone on to pursue careers in federal and state governments, consulting and education. This web page provides a history of the sanctuary's past Fellows, their educational background, examples of projects they completed while at the sanctuary and the jobs they pursued after their Fellowship. California Sea Grant is a statewide, multi-university program of marine research, extension and education services, administered by the University of California and headquartered at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The National Sea Grant College Program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. For more information about the California Sea Grant Fellowship you can visit the Sea Grant webpage here.
Oren Frey

Oren Frey
2011 Sea Grant Fellow

M.A. International Environmental Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies
B.A. Environmental Studies with a specialization in Human Ecology, Middlebury College

Oren works closely with the MBNMS Research Team on a number of projects, including: a threats assessment for Davidson Seamount; authored a report on the phenomenon of shipping container loss; participated in at-sea deepwater characterization research; organized a collaborative fisheries research study on the hook and line fishery for California halibut in Monterey Bay; and is working to advance the creation of a community supported fishery (CSF) for the Monterey Bay area.

Oren earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies with a specialization in Human Ecology from Middlebury College, and a Master of Arts degree in International Environmental Policy from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. His experience includes managing a marine education program for Naturalists at Large on Catalina Island. He has conducted research in the fields of ethnography, international environmental policy, and environmental economics.
Kristine FaloonKristine Faloon at Point Lobos State Park.

Kristine Faloon
2010 Sea Grant Fellow

Master of Environmental Science and Management, UC Santa Barbara
B.A. Biology with concentration in marine science, Boston University

Kristine worked on Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS) fish habitat materials; the Sanctuary Characterization and Image Display SCID interface for the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum Exhibit entitled 'World of Fishes'; field operations for shelf characterization and lost fishing gear cruises; authored content for Ocean Acidification and Sporadic Events on the SIMoN web site; and provided SCUBA support after NOAA Science Diver Certification.

Kristine completed her Fellowship in the summer of 2010 and was hired as a Marine Science and Oceanography instructor for Sea | Mester, a global semester at sea program for college students.
Steve ChoySteve Choy under a snow bank in Yosemite.

Steve Choy
2009 Sea Grant Fellow

Master of Environmental Science and Management, UC Santa Barbara
B.S. in Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Steve organized the poster session for the 2009 Sanctuary Currents Symposium; investigated the effects of thermal discharge from Moss Landing Power Plant; studied the removal of the invasive Asian kelp Undaria pinnatifida from Monterey Harbor; and developed a web-based historical ecology timeline of marine resources within MBNMS.

Steve completed his Fellowship in the winter of 2009 and is a Fish and Wildlife Scientific Aid with the California Department of Fish and Game.
Hugo SelbieHugo Selbie.

Hugo Selbie
2008 Sea Grant Fellow

Master of Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography
B.S. in Marine Geography, Cardiff University, Wales, UK

Hugo sourced and compiled marine historical ecology data for MBNMS; created the first MBNMS marine historical ecology database; authored a technical report entitled 'Phase I: Historical Sources Survey Report' organized the 2008 Sanctuary Currents Symposium (>300 attendees); and contributed articles to the Sporadic Events Section of the SIMoN web site.

Hugo left MBNMS and became a Policy and Outreach Coordinator for the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO) (http://www.piscoweb.org) at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He is also a data analyst at NOAA's National Marine Protected Areas Center in Monterey, working as a contractor on the agency's ambitious MPA Inventory project, an effort to catalog and describe the nation's network of marine protected areas.
Amber SzoboszlaiAmber Szoboszlai.

Amber Szoboszlai
2007 Sea Grant Fellow

M.S. in Biology, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
B.A. in Liberal Arts, Hampshire College

Amber studied the role of facilitation in rocky intertidal seaweed communities while at MLML. This work highlighted how species interactions and species diversity can influence patterns of distribution of early life history stages of seaweeds.

At MBNMS, Amber conducted an evaluation of the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring (SIMoN) Program and a compilation of black abalone data for an endangered species evaluation.

Amber is now a PhD student in the Graduate Group in Ecology at UC Davis. While working as a marine science policy fellow at the Monterey Bay Marine Sanctuary, she discovered my ambition to conduct research that can be integrated with marine policy and management. For her dissertation she is working to develop an integrated perspective of interactions between oyster aquaculture practices and eelgrass populations. Scientists currently have a poor understanding of how combined positive and negative effects of oyster aquaculture relate to eelgrass persistence and survival. By exploring how eelgrass responds to oyster aquaculture, her research will help to develop eelgrass sustainability guidelines for aquaculture businesses and to manage future expansion of aquaculture facilities.
Lorraine AnglinLorraine Anglin at sea.

Lorraine Anglin
2006 Sea Grant Fellow

Master of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, UC San Diego
B.A. in Biology, Willamette University

Lorraine developed towed camera sled data collection protocols, including associated hardware and software requirements, for long-term monitoring inside and outside of state Marine Protected Areas. She was also intimately involved with boating operations, particularly once the R/V FULMAR arrived to the West Coast Region.

After her Fellowship, Lorraine continued as a Field Operations Coordinator for the West Coast Region in the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. The West Coast Regional office manages 12,682 square miles of marine protected areas around the Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, Monterey Bay and Olympic Coast. Each of the five west coast national marine sanctuaries is intimately connected not only with the others, but also to the entire coast from Alaska to Baja and to the far reaches of the world ocean via ocean currents. Lorraine serves as the Vessel Operations Coordinator, which includes the R/V FULMAR and R/V 4107, and also works with scheduling the NOAA Twin Otter airplane.
Becky StamskiBecky Stamski.

Becky Stamski
2005 Sea Grant Fellow

M.S. in Earth Science, UC Santa Cruz
B.A. in Geology, Amherst College

Becky developed materials for the Coastal Erosion and Armoring Action Plan as part of the Management Plan Review process for MBNMS; created GIS-based analysis tools for water quality monitoring associated with the Elkhorn Slough; wrote and edited SIMoN website content, particularly for the geology sections; published a NOAA Marine Sanctuaries Conservation Series report on coastal protection structures in the MBNMS: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/special/con_coast/stamski.pdf.

Becky is a geologist at environmental consulting firm Geomatrix (now part of AMEC Earth & Environmental).
Michele JacobiMichele Jacobi.

Michele Jacobi
1997 Sea Grant Fellow

M.S. in Marine Science, Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
B.S. in Biology and Marine Science, University of San Diego

Michele wrote an assessment of the impacts of anthropogenic sound in the ocean and improved the MBNMS web site.

Michele is now an environmental scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) in Seattle, WA. As part of the Technical Support Division she has experience regarding eco-risk assessment reviews, chemical data analysis, field sampling design, and the development of watershed database and GIS mapping projects. Michele is currently on assignment to the Coastal Response Research Center and is applying the concept of a watershed database and mapping project towards emergency planning and response for the Portsmouth Harbor Area.
To find out more about the Cordell Bank, Gulf of Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary's research teams, use these links:
Snowy Egret
The SIMoN Science Committee (SSC) consists of representatives from local agencies, universities, research institutions or science-based organizations with expertise in characterizing, studying and monitoring natural resources. Committee membership is designed to balance representation of the various scientific disciplines within the Sanctuary. Members are appointed for 2 year terms by the Sanctuary Superintendent and SIMoN Director. Meetings are held at least twice a year to address funding priorities and other issues as appropriate.

The SSC serves to advise the Monterey Bay Sanctuary staff on many aspects of SIMoN. The SSC evaluates both scientific and management merit of proposed and ongoing research, site characterizations and monitoring programs within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The SSC also provides guidance to develop monitoring programs that address key gaps in knowledge. Finally, the SSC advises Sanctuary staff on submitted proposals, integration of existing research, and the development and implementation of a program to effectively disseminate information. The SSC does not assume any authority to perform operational or management functions or to represent or make decisions on behalf of the Sanctuary.

Criteria for Prioritization of Monitoring and Characterization Topics

  • Consistent with the overall goals of the Sanctuary
  • Urgency
  • Unique or limited opportunity
  • Significant threat to ecosystem or human health
  • Fundamental to the basic understanding of resources or processes
  • Importance beyond the Sanctuary boundaries
  • Ability to gather sufficient information with the funds and technology available
  • Partial funding already secured
  • Does not duplicate existing effort

Current SSC Members

AGENCY

Andrew DeVogelaere
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
299 Foam Street
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 647-4213
andrew.devogelaere@noaa.gov

Paul Reilly
California Department of Fish and Game
20 Lower Ragsdale Drive, Suite 100
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 649-2879
PReilly@dfg.ca.gov

Mike Field
U.S. Geological Survey
345 Middlefield Road
Mailstop 999
Menlo Park, CA 94025
(831) 459-3428
mfield@usgs.gov

Karin Forney
Southwest Fisheries Science Center
110 Shaffer Rd
Santa Cruz CA 95060
(831) 420-3908
karin.forney@noaa.gov

ACADEMIC

Greg Cailliet
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
8272 Moss Landing Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039-9647
(831) 771-4432
cailliet@mlml.calstate.edu

Pete Raimondi
Department of Biology
University of California, Santa Cruz
1156 High Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
(831) 459-5674
raimondi@biology.ucsc.edu

Jeff Paduan
Naval Postgraduate School
Dept. of Oceanography
Code OC/PD
Monterey, CA 93943
(831) 656-3350
paduan@nps.navy.mil

Jim Barry
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
7700 Sandholdt Road
Moss Landing, CA 95039
(831) 775-1726
barry@mbari.org

John Hunt
Department of Environmental Toxicology
University of California, Davis
34500 Highway 1, Granite Canyon
Monterey, CA 93940
831-624-0947
jwhunt@ucdavis.edu
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