The course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the environmental laws and management structures that govern ocean and coastal policy. It covers the major resource issues that affect ocean and coastal systems, ranging from off-shore drilling to nutrient enrichment to fisheries management.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students will be required to take on specific case studies and write a summary paper. They will be responsible for choosing readings, creating the assignment, presenting the material to the class, and leading the discussions. Additional learning outcome: Graduate student mastery of the subject will be enhanced by leading discussions as well as by synthesizing the material in the context of specific case studies.
Athena Title
Intro to Marine Policy and Law
Prerequisite
Permission of Department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will evaluate competing policy alternatives in marine and coastal management by assessing evidence, questioning assumptions, and considering multiple stakeholder perspectives before recommending solutions.
Students will analyze quantitative and qualitative information (e.g., fisheries data, legal frameworks, stakeholder surveys) to identify patterns and synthesize evidence that supports marine policy decisions.
Students will deliver clear and well-supported oral presentations of marine policy recommendations to peers and stakeholders, adapting style and content for the intended audience.
Students will engage in respectful, inclusive discussions and debates about marine and coastal policy, demonstrating awareness of cultural differences and diverse perspectives.
Students will assess how marine and coastal policy decisions affect diverse communities, including marginalized groups, and reflect on how their own social identities shape their understanding of policy debates.
Students will propose innovative, interdisciplinary policy solutions to emerging challenges in ocean governance and climate resilience, taking appropriate intellectual risks.
Students will collaborate in teams to analyze real-world case studies in marine policy, practicing inclusive leadership, constructive conflict resolution, and collective project management.
Topical Outline
General Background:
Ocean Jurisdiction
Federal Environmental Laws
National Environmental Policy Act
Endangered Species Act
Clean Water Act
Coastal Zone Management Act
National Marine Sanctuaries Act
State Laws
State Coastal Zone Management Programs
Georgia Coastal Legislation
Coastal Marshlands Protection Act
Georgia Shore Protection Act
Ocean Policy
Law of the Sea
International Coastal Zone Management
National Ocean Policy Council
Pew Commission; Ocean Commission
Governor’s Agreements
Regional Management
Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia
California CALFED/Bay Delta Program
Chesapeake Bay
Fisheries
Fisheries Management History (Fisheries Councils)
Fish Allocation (Individual Transfer Quotas)
Fishing the High Seas
Marine Protected Areas
Case Studies/Resource Issues
Docks and Marinas
Offshore Energy Development
Coastal Nutrients, Stormwater Management
Wetlands, Sea Level Rise
Ports and Shipping
Maritime Transportation in the New Arctic
