Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan for Indian River Lagoon
In the Spring and Summer of 2007, the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRL NEP) embarked on a process to review and update the core of the 1996 Indian River Lagoon Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), the set of 68 recommended action items in 4 topic areas that guide the IRL NEP‟s work. This initiative to update the CCMP was discussed by the IRL NEP Advisory Board during their April 2007 meeting, with direction to staff to generate a draft for review and comment.
Eleven years of implementation activities under the original CCMP has resulted in a remarkable amount of progress toward restoration and protection of the lagoon. However, new issues and threats to the lagoon, such as climate change, toxic algae and exotic invasive fauna and flora have emerged since the original CCMP‟s development. In addition, new science, research, technologies, programs and organizations now exist. IRLNEP‟s activities and annual work plan projects have continually evolved within the existing CCMP framework over the previous eleven years trying to adapt to these new challenges and opportunities, however the action items in the CCMP have not been updated to reflect this evolution.