Chapter IV 



The Comprehensive Conservation 



and Management Plan 



A Blueprint for Action 



The Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan, 

 developed by the Management Conference, is a blueprint for 

 restoring and maintaining an estuary. It identifies the most pressing 

 problems in an estuary and establishes goals and objectives for 

 resolving them. The CCMP prescribes specific actions to protect 

 and enhance the estuary and its water and sediment quality, living 

 resources, and surrounding land and water resources. 



Section 320(b) of the Water Quality Act of 1 987 directs 

 Management Conferences to develop "a comprehen- 

 sive conservation and management plan that recom- 

 mends priority corrective actions and compliance 

 schedules addressing point and nonpoint sources of 

 pollution to restore and maintain the chemical, physi- 

 cal, and biological integrity of the estuary, including 

 restoration and maintenance of water quality, a 

 balanced indigenous population of shellfish, fish and 

 wildlife, and recreational activities in the estuary, and 

 assure that the designated uses of the estuary are 

 protected . . . ." 



The first task of the Management Conference is to summarize the 

 characterization findings in "plain English." Characterization 

 describes the estuary's problems and, where possible, links 

 problems to causes and sources. It includes an analysis of institu- 

 tions and geographical impacts for each problem that will be 

 addressed. The conferees may then debate the merits of each 

 problem and determine which ones will be the focus of the CCMP. 

 These are called priority problems. 



Characterization findings form the basis for developing the environ- 

 mental quality goals and objectives that each Conference estab- 

 lishes for the estuary. Once these goals and objectives have been 

 set, the Conference develops specific action plans to achieve them. 



Developing a 

 Comprehensive 

 Conservation and 

 Management Plan 



39 



