Save the Date: MWA 2012 Waterfront Conference
"Our Harbor: An Environmental Engine and Economic Resource"
May 18-19, 2012
New York, NY
Join the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance in 2012 to galvanize support for the New York-New Jersey Harbor Coalition and to explore the economic benefits of harbor revitalization. The conference will feature regional harbor champions, waterfront leaders, advocates, and policy experts from the region and nationwide. More info.

Save the Date: From Stem to Stern II
Boating and Waterway Management in Florida
May 15-17, 2012
Clearwater Beach, FL
Stem to Stern II will present innovative and sustainable strategies that help balance the economic and environmental vitality of Florida’s waterfront communities.

Planners, resource managers, waterway users, marina operators, industry reps, harbor masters, city managers, elected officials, law enforcement, policy makers, attorneys, consultants, educators, researchers — whatever your involvement, come learn, discuss and network with your colleagues as we navigate boating and waterways management in Florida. More info.

Launch of the National Working Waterfronts and Waterways Council (November 2011)
The Council is a new entity whose mission is to increase the capacity of coastal communities and stakeholders to make informed decisions, balance diverse users and plan for the future of working waterfronts and waterways.  Click here for a brief overview of the structure and function of this Council.

EDA Funds Tools for Working Waterfronts (December 2011)
The Economic Development Administration, US Department of Commerce, has recently entered into a $533,000 cooperative agreement with seven partner organizations around to the country to "Create Community and Economic Development Tools for Preserving Working Waterfronts and Waterways." Cooperators include:  Island Institute, Urban Harbor Institute at UMass Boston, Coastal Enterprises Inc., and Sea Grant programs in Florida, Virginia, Maine, and the National Sea Grant Law Center.  More info. 

2010 "Sense of the Symposium" and Conference Presentations Available for Download
For the "Sense of the Symposium," a listing of the presentations by day with abstracts, full presentations, and presenter bios, visit our Presentations page.

Getting There from Here: Coastal Access Information Now Available in Five States
Across the country, fishermen, kayakers, town officials, and waterfront property owners face local conflicts over access to beaches, rivers, and shorelines. In Maine, where such conflicts revealed a need for information about legal mechanisms for addressing coastal access issues, Maine Sea Grant created an online access resource with funding from the National Sea Grant Law Center, www.accessingthemainecoast.com.

Seeing that the website—“everything you wanted to know about rights and responsibilities of accessing the coast of Maine”—was adaptable for application in other coastal areas, the  National Sea Grant Law Center provided additional small grants to four other Sea Grant Programs to replicate the Maine model in Alabama, Hawaii, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. These five new websites offer a host of new and expanded features in addition to the legal toolbox for coastal access. Several states plan to add mapping capabilities to their sites in the future. Read more.

New Coalition to Focus on Nation's Working Waterways & Waterfronts
At the conclusion of a national symposium here last week, representatives from  federal, state, and local governments and organizations announced the formation of a National Working Waterways & Waterfronts Coalition. Read more.

The Working Waterways & Waterfronts National Symposium on Water Access 2010
September 27-30, 2010
Portland, Maine
Across the US, communities, water-dependent industries, and the public face conflicts over access to beaches, shorelines, and waterways. The challenge will only increase in the years to come: by 2050, the US population is expected to exceed 400 million people, more than half of whom will live in a coastal county if growth trends continue. The good news is that both large and small waterfront communities throughout America are implementing creative solutions to address these challenges.

Building on the inaugural symposium in Norfolk, Virginia, in 2007, participants in 2010 will increase awareness of the economic, social, cultural, and environmental values of waterfronts, and the important role of water-dependent uses in sustainable coastal communities.

About the Symposium
The Working Waterways and Waterfronts National Symposium on Water Access 2010 provides an opportunity to learn about successful models and tools from around the country. For example, some states, such as Maine and Florida, have created tax incentives to sustain traditional waterfront land uses, while others, including Washington, California, and Texas, have legislation or other legal instruments to protect water access. Oregon is exploring strategies for preserving seafood-related working waterfront areas. In New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and Alabama, state-appointed commissions are addressing the access issue, and regional forums bring disparate stakeholders together to find solutions in Michigan, Mississippi, and Alabama.

Who should attend?
The 2010 Working Waterways and Waterfronts National Symposium on Water Access will provide a forum for diverse users to meet, address common dilemmas, and share solutions. This collaborative problem-solving approach promises to provide unique and innovative approaches to address water access needs. We invite government officials and decisionmakers; members of the commercial fishing, marine, and tourism industries; economic development and historic preservation professionals; port and harbor managers; academic researchers; developers and property owners; business owners, community planners, NEMO and SCCD Network members, activists, and others to join the discussion.

Founding Partners
NOAA Sea Grant
Virginia Sea Grant
Maine Sea Grant
Boat US
Island Institute
Maine Coastal Program
Coastal Enterprises Inc.
States Organization for Boating Access
Coastal States Organization
National Sea Grant Law Center
Maine Working Waterfront Coalition

Conference Steering Committee
Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant, Chair
Dale Bergeron, Minnesota Sea Grant
Mark Breederland, Michigan Sea Grant
Jim Connors, Maine Coastal Program
Hugh Cowperthwaite, Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
Joey Donnelly, York Harbor, ME
Gillian Garrett-Reed, Island Institute
Kristen Grant, Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Lisa Gutierrez, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Madeleine Hall-Arber, MIT Sea Grant
Patricia Harrell, States Organization for Boating Access
Katrina Hoffman, Washington Sea Grant
Sue Kennedy, Rhode Island Sea Grant
Lisa Ayers Lawrence, Virginia Sea Grant
Lewis Lawrence, Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, VA
Ryck Lydecker, Boat US and Sportfishing and Boating Partnership Council
Jen McCann, Rhode Island Sea Grant
Tom Murray, Virginia Sea Grant
Chuck Pistis, Michigan Sea Grant
Catherine Schmitt, Maine Sea Grant
Stephanie Showalter, National Sea Grant Law Center
Bob Swett, Florida Sea Grant
Jack Thigpen, North Carolina Sea Grant
Jody Thompson, Mississippi/Alabama Sea Grant
Lynn Wardwell, Maine Sea Grant
Jack Wiggin, Urban Harbors Institute

Sponsors
The 2010 Working Waterways and Waterfronts National Symposium on Water Access would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. For a list of our sponsors, or for information on becoming one, visit our Sponsors page.

Credits
Some photos on this site are courtesy of Maine Working Waterfront Coalition, Natalie Springuel, Maine Sea Grant, and Kristen Grant, Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension.