The Coastal States Organization represents the nation’s Coastal States, Territories, and Commonwealths on ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resource issues.

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As oceans, seas and coastal areas all over the world are facing increasing pressures owing to climate change, pollution and globalization, women and men feel the impacts of degraded coastal and marine ecosystems in different ways. Across societies, women and men use and manage marine and coastal ecosystems differently and have specific knowledge, capabilities and needs related to coastal and marine resources. Historically, the work and contributions of women, informal workers and indigenous groups have been routinely ignored or underestimated in coastal and marine research, management and policy, including, but not limited to, their important work in fisheries and aquaculture, in the processing and trading of marine products, in managing plastic and other waste from urban and tourist growth, and in conservation and disaster risk reduction initiatives.

Increasingly, collective calls for participative, integrated and sustainable approaches to marine and coastal science and management are met with calls for gender inclusiveness, mainstreaming and sensitivity across the environment and development agendas. Yet, even as policymakers, environmental managers and development practitioners are made aware of why gender mainstreaming is important in the integrated management of marine and coastal ecosystems, they lack the practical guidance and tools on how to do it. This report brings together gender experts and experts from other fields in coastal and marine research to bridge this gender-technical divide.

The report is centered on 10 gender mainstreaming principles developed to offer structure and guide the practice of gender mainstreaming into the integrated management of coastal and marine ecosystems. These principles can be considered “tried and tested” strategies for promoting socially just, environmentally sustainable and economically efficient development in coastal and marine contexts.

The 10 gender mainstreaming principles are also illustrated in action through 10 case studies from different countries with distinct geographical and social contexts. The case studies cover a wide set of themes in coastal and marine ecosystem management and highlight the work of diverse stakeholders, including conservation organizations, researchers, government ministries, civil society, the private sector and community-based groups. Each of the 10 case studies aims to explain the rationale behind the use of a particular gender mainstreaming principle (why), illustrate the practical aspects of implementing it in a specific context of coastal and marine ecosystem management (how), and offer lessons learned and recommendations. The cases are vivid examples of the potential broader social and environmental impacts of integrating gender principles into marine and coastal management projects.

The report also offers insights into how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting coastal people, livelihoods and ecosystems, based on information gathered from individual case studies, in terms of disaster preparedness, COVID-19 impacts, mitigation measures and lessons learned. Importantly, many coastal communities are confronting COVID-19 while also facing other overlapping climate-induced, health and environmental crises, such as dengue and cholera, flooding, monsoons, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes and wildfires. The pandemic also led to drastic increases in gender-based discrimination and violence across communities and livelihood sectors in coastal and marine contexts. Coping with multifaceted crises in coastal regions often involves a heavy reliance on women and their paid and unpaid care work within households and communities.

Read the report here.

A Sisterhood of the Sea

[In January 2023] Danielle Hopson Begun stuck toe warmers to the bottom of her thickest socks before stepping into a thermal waterproof suit of camouflaged waders and shoulder-high gloves. She was spending the day planting kelp in Long Island’s Shinnecock Bay, across the water from her Shinnecock Indian Nation. It was 38 degrees Fahrenheit, and she would have to try to keep warm and dry while standing in cold, waist-deep seawater for hours. “Once you get wet, your time is limited,” she said. Hopson Begun never imagined she would enter such frigid waters, let alone become an ocean farmer. She was already working full-time as a social worker for toddlers with disabilities. But in 2019, when her cousin Tela Troge asked if she’d be interested in joining her and several other Shinnecock women to co-found the first Indigenous-owned sugar kelp farming collective on the East Coast, she didn’t hesitate. “I said yes with an open heart.” The Shinnecock people have lived and survived off of the coast of what is now eastern Long Island for more than 10,000 years. Now, the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers—co-founded by six grandmothers, lawyers and activists—are renewing their ancestors’ relationship to seaweed to mitigate the impacts of climate change and help restore the waters surrounding their people’s territory. Sugar kelp is indigenous to New York but has suffered widespread decline in the last 30 years due to coastal development that has destroyed its habitat and warming temperatures, which have forced the cold water-loving marine algae to start migrating north. Read more here.

A Chesapeake Bay Oyster Farmer Reflects on Maryland's Aquaculture Industry

The Chesapeake Bay’s oyster population plummeted in the later half of the 20th century, but there are recent hopeful signs the bay’s oysters are making a comeback. Here to talk about all things oysters is Imani Black, an oyster farmer who is pursuing a Master's degree at University of Maryland's Center for Environmental Science at Horn Point Laboratory. She is also the CEO and founder of Minorities in Aquaculture—an advocacy group dedicated to increasing diversity in the cultivation and study of marine life. [WYPR] ask Imani about recent good news for the region's oysters, diversity within her industry and her personal connection to the bay's waters. Listen here.

Women of the Bayou: Stories of Resilience and Ingenuity in South Louisiana’s Changing Landscape

Over the past 25 years, the southern Louisiana coastline has been disappearing at an average rate of almost a football field every hour. With these immense losses, it’s easy for people both in and outside the region to lose hope. Many across the country write off the area completely, concluding that folks should pack up and move north. But for the locals who live and work in the bayou, who have lived in the nooks and crannies along the marshes for generations, it’s home. Women who live and work along the bayou have played an integral role in keeping the culture alive in this area. We had the chance to interview a few about what it means to be a “Bayou Woman.” These are not stories of doom and gloom for the region. These are stories of hope, ingenuity, and resilience in times of adversity. Read the stories here.

Florida Sea Grant Celebrates Betty Staugler’s Enduring Algal Legacies

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Florida Sea Grant proudly highlights Betty Staugler, an individual whose commitment to marine conservation has not only defined her career but also earned her a unique and unexpected honor – the honor of having a newly discovered cyanobacteria named after her. Sirenicapillaria stauglerae, originating from the Greek and Latin roots meaning “mermaid’s hair,” might seem like a whimsical name for algae. While some suggest it could be linked to the long, wavy locks of Florida Sea Grant’s Elizabeth “Betty” Staugler, it primarily serves as a tribute to Staugler’s steadfast dedication to researching and assessing coastal marine habitats, along with her pivotal role in discovering the algae. Read more here.

Sacred Native American Site in Berkeley Saved from Development by Historic Settlement

The city of Berkeley has reached a landmark agreement with the developer who owns a parking lot atop a sacred Ohlone site to transfer the land permanently back to Indigenous peoples after years of litigation and community outcry. Under the terms of the deal, the owner, Ruegg & Ellsworth LLC, will receive $27 million in exchange for the property, with the vast majority of the money originating from the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, a women-led organization that works to return Indigenous lands. Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, which recently received a $20 million donation from a private foundation, will contribute $25.5 million of the cost, while Berkeley will put up $1.5 million. The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously, 7-0, to approve the deal on Tuesday afternoon. Corrina Gould, the Ohlone leader who spearheaded the effort to return the land, has developed a plan for the area that includes exposing the creek nearby, creating open space with native plants, and building a 40-foot-tall mound covered with poppies that will house an educational and memorial component. Read more here. Learn more about Sogorea Te’ Land Trust's rematriation work here.

She Sails the Seas Without Maps or Compasses: A Hawaiian navigator describes how she sails the seas without maps or modern instruments to keep Polynesian wayfinding traditions alive

For nearly 50 years, a group of Hawaiians have been sailing on traditional voyaging canoes using the methods that early Polynesian explorers relied on to navigate the Pacific Ocean—without maps and modern instruments, and relying on the stars, ocean waves, birds, and other natural elements to guide them. We meet National Geographic Explorer Lehua Kamalu, the first woman to captain a long-distance voyage on Hōkūleʻa, a double-hulled Polynesian canoe that was built in Hawaii in the 1970s. She describes what it’s like to navigate in incredibly rough waters, what it means to keep Polynesian navigation alive in the 21st century, and about her next big adventure: a four-year circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean. Listen here

[NEW] ASFPM Releases Strategic Planning Guide for State Floodplain Management Programs

For state floodplain management programs, strategic planning can put states in the best position to effectively and efficiently manage flood risk and floodplain resources in line with evolving approaches to floodplain management at the federal, state, and local levels. The strategic planning process is driven by the three questions: Where are we now? Where do we want to go? And, how do we get there? To guide states through the process, ASFPM has published Strategic Planning Guidance and Methodology for State Floodplain Management Programs. An updated and expanded version of the 2010 edition, this resource is intended for those who make policy decisions and set priorities for state floodplain programs. It can help states align their floodplain management programs with community needs and the 10 guiding principles for effective state floodplain management programs as well as FEMA’s Tiered State Framework characteristics. Learn more here.

[NEW] Interior Announces $120M to Support Tribal Climate Resilience

The Department of the Interior announced a new wave of more than $120 million in funding for tribal climate resilience projects ranging from infrastructure reinforcement to relocation efforts. The money will support 146 projects across 102 tribal communities and nine tribal organizations. It is the largest investment under the Tribal Climate Awards Program, a competitive grant program aimed at building tribal climate resilience, since that program’s inception in 2011. This year’s funding more than doubles the $110 million distributed over the last 13 years... Supported projects fell broadly into two applications: adaptation and relocation. Awards ranged from around $98,000 for studying climate impacts on the Port Madison Reservation in Washington, to just over $9.8 million for fortifying and restoring a watershed on the Lummi Reservation. Read more here.

Great Lakes Commission Releases Annual Federal Priorities, New Federal Investment Tracker

The Great Lakes Commission (GLC) released its 2024 federal priorities, urging the Biden administration and Congress to move forward with policies, projects and programs that will foster a more resilient Great Lakes region, increase economic opportunity, and equitably improve the health of important ecosystems throughout the Great Lakes basin. In 2024, the GLC urges Congress and the Biden administration to: reauthorize and fully fund the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI); build a resilient Great Lakes basin; comprehensively address harmful algal blooms; provide dedicated funding to the GLC to fulfill its unique role in the region; ensure equitable access to clean and safe water; capitalize on the potential of the Great Lakes Navigation System; protect against invasive species; and support integrated binational science and data collection. New this year, the GLC has also introduced the Great Lakes Investment Tracker, an interactive mapping application to showcase federally funded projects in Great Lakes states. The app maps and categorizes projects funded through the GLRI; Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and Inflation Reduction Act. Learn more here.

Fish & Wildlife Service Releases Annual Reports for Coastal Program

Last week, FWS released their FY23 Accomplishment Report for their Coastal Program. The report shares priorities for DOI and FWS as well as accomplishment stories and statistics. In 2023, the Coastal Program worked with partners and local communities to implement 153 conservation projects across 19 states and territories, restoring and protecting 87,689 acres of coastal habitats. Read the report here.

Corps of Engineers Issues Draft for New Rules on Cost Benefit Analysis in Water Resources Projects

This proposed rule establishes Agency Specific Procedures (ASPs) for the Corps' implementation of the Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines for water resources investments. It provides a framework to govern how the Corps would evaluate proposed water resource investments, including identification of which Corps programs and activities are subject to the Principles, Requirements, and Guidelines. The Corps is proposing this rule in response to congressional direction provided in authorizing language in the Water Resources Development Act of 2020. Read the Federal Register Notice here.

White House Holding Listening Sessions on Marine Carbon Removal Research

The White House National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Fast-Track Action Committee (MCDR–FTAC) is holding a series of listening sessions to inform the development of an implementation plan regarding marine carbon dioxide removal (MCDR) research. The listening sessions will give an introduction to the MCDR-FTAC and provide an opportunity for interested parties to provide input. The sessions will be organized around three themes: 1) Permitting, regulatory, and other standards and policies, 2) Developing a comprehensive federal MCDR research program, and 3) Mechanisms to enable public awareness and engagement. You may attend as many sessions as you wish.

Theme 2: Comprehensive Federal MCDR research program. The FTAC seeks feedback on a Federal research program that will accelerate the development of the knowledge needed to understand the effectiveness and safety of MCDR approaches. Tuesday, March 26, 2024, 12:30 – 2:30 EST Registration: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItf-6orzgpGHu6D2PnoHlx00k8wjg5Hvk

Theme 3: Mechanisms to enable public awareness and public-private cooperation. The FTAC seeks feedback on how to enable public engagement in MCDR research and how to promote cooperation between the Federal government and non-Federal parties on MCDR research, including field tests. Tuesday, April 9, 2024, 12:30 – 2:30 EST, Registration: https://pitc.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscu2oqj8sH9ir171uayKrJ75F4H6VdUM

If you plan to attend, please register using the links above. Zoom room information will be provided to those that RSVP. Please note that, depending on session attendance, public comments may be limited to 3 minutes per person (subject to further notice). For more information regarding the MCDR and the scope of the MCDR-FTAC, please see the Federal Register Notice here. In addition to attending the listening sessions, you may also submit input there.

NFWF and NOAA Release RFP for National Coastal Resilience Fund

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, released a request for proposals for the FY 2024 National Coastal Resilience Fund. Funded projects will restore, increase, and strengthen natural infrastructure—the landscapes that help absorb the impacts of storms and floods—to ultimately protect coastal communities and enhance fish and wildlife habitat. This year, the fund will invest approximately $140 million in projects. Pre-proposals are due Wednesday April 10, 2024. Applicants invited to submit a full proposal will have a Tuesday July 2, 2024, deadline. The complete request for proposals can be found here. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is holding pre-proposal webinars on Wednesday February 28, Tuesday March 5, and Thursday March 7, 2024. Registration information can be found at the link above. If you have questions, please contact [email protected].