Public and Tribal Engagement

Public Engagement: 

The NOMEC Council recognizes that public input into implementing the NOMEC Strategy must be iterative and sustained to foster best results. As directed by the NOMEC Strategy, the Council convenes periodic ocean mapping and exploration forums. Attendees include Federal, State and Territorial agencies, Tribal Nations, private industry, academic, and private constituents with diverse backgrounds, sectors, and interests. 

The NOMEC Council published an Implementation Plan in 2020 outlining opportunities for stakeholders across all sectors to provide input in planning and implementing the NOMEC Strategy goals to map, characterize, and explore coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes waters. The 2024 Implementation Plan Update for the NOMEC Strategy summarizes the progress made in fostering these relationships and discusses the ongoing plans to maintain and improve them. There will be ongoing opportunities for public input through Federal Advisory Committees, Requests for Information, workshops, listening sessions, and other forums. In addition to traditional outreach methods, the NOMEC Council creates and showcases an expanded model for collaboration that includes greater participation from non-Federal entities in the process. For example, opportunities for cross-sector partnerships are pursued through a variety of mechanisms, including research partnerships and innovative funding mechanisms. Through frequent and varied avenues for public input, the NOMEC Implementation Plan is adaptable and agile to respond to partner needs and feedback.

Tribal Engagement

The NOMEC Council recognizes that government-to-government engagement with Tribal Nations and public input processes must be iterative and sustained in order to foster meaningful partnerships. A NOMEC Tribal Listening Session was held in January of 2021 that yielded useful input, and a Sea Grant Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship was dedicated to developing a framework document to help inform and guide the Council's engagement, including working with agency Tribal Liaison Officers. The NOMEC Council will continue seeking ways to improve Tribal coordination and engagement efforts throughout implementation of the NOMEC Strategy.

NOAA Tribal Resources and Updates                                  USGS Tribal Resources and Updates

BOEM Tribal Resources and Updates                                  BSEE Tribal Resources and Updates

NASA Tribal Resources and Updates                                   NSF Tribal Resources and Updates

Upcoming Events:

Past Events:

  • NOMEC engaged with stakeholders at the Florida Coastal Mapping Program (FCMaP) 2025 Annual Summit in St. Petersburg, FL (Mar 2025)
  • NOMEC gave a Keynote address at the US HYDRO Conference in Wilmington, NC (Mar 2025)
  • NOMEC hosted a Town Hall at the MTS Oceans Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Sep 2024)
  • NOMEC presented at the Lakebed 2030 Conference in Traverse City, MI (Sep 2024)
  • NOMEC hosted a Town Hall at the Ocean Sciences 2024 Conference in New Orleans, LA (Feb 2024)
  • NOMEC presented at Lakebed 2030 Conference in Traverse City, MI (Sep 2023)
  • NOMEC co-hosted a Town Hall with the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) at the MTS Oceans Conference in Biloxi, MS (Sep 2023)
  • NOMEC presented at the Alaska Geo-Summit in Anchorage, AK (Sep 2023)
  • NOMEC presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (Dec 2021) and biennial Ocean Sciences Meeting (Feb/Mar 2022)
  • NOMEC participated in a UN Decade for Ocean Sciences Satellite Activity on a Predicted Ocean. The one-hour webinar panel featured guest speaker Secretary John Kerry, Special Envoy for Climate, and can be viewed at the IOCM Website here (Sept 2021)
  • The NOMEC Council presented at the Deep Sea Biology Symposium: 

Media

Features a Magazine Spread of the NOMEC Article, images include the map of unmapped waters, overlaid by an image of a ROV launch and the cover page of the ECO Mazing edition.
(Image credit: ECO Magazine)
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