Course Description
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
Marine Policy
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course introduces students to the major environmental laws and management structures that govern ocean and coastal policy, in the context of resource issues. Expected learning outcomes: 1. Students will have a working knowledge of environmental laws and how they are applied to ocean and coastal resources. 2. Students will develop an understanding of the complex legal, scientific, and social structures that frame resource issues in marine and coastal systems. This will provide them with an interdisciplinary perspective on these topics. 3. Student mastery of the material will be assessed through a combination of projects, discussions, quizzes, and written assignments.
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 Science and Policy Marine Spatial Planning Adaptive Management Conservation Biology Boundary Organizations
Syllabus