St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program Completes Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan

The St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program celebrated a significant milestone this month with the completion of the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). This plan serves as the organization’s guiding document and blueprint for the next 10 years and sets forth 28 actions to preserve and enhance the health of the bays over the next decade.

The Estuary Program began working on the plan in earnest in 2022. The plan's development involved extensive collaboration, research and input from field experts, local stakeholders and community members. It outlines 14 goals across four focus areas with 28 actions to tackle that address priority issues identified by the community. These actions will require cross-jurisdictional collaborations and significant resources secured to benefit the entire watershed.

“The adopted CCMP represents the result of an extensive and collaborative process that involved representatives of numerous agencies, municipalities, businesses, corporations and citizens,” said Jessica Graham, Ph.D., the Estuary Program executive director. “This process was one of the most challenging yet rewarding to be a part of from start to finish. I greatly appreciate the time and energy that so many put into the creation of this beautiful document that contains a path forward to ensure protection of our natural resources that are integral to our economic sustainability.”

For more information about the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan or to get involved with the Estuary Program, visit the website, SASJBEP.org.
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About the St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program:

Our Vision:
Healthy, resilient bays and estuarine habitats that support native species, natural systems, recreation, fisheries and the economy, together with vibrant, resilient, and sustainable communities in the watershed that live in harmony with the needs of the estuary.

Our Mission:
To collaborate—as representatives of private, public and non-governmental stakeholders—to improve our common sense, science-based understanding of the needs of the estuary, and to develop, promote and implement projects that protect and restore the health of the bays.