Estuary Programs work together with the local stakeholders to develop and implement a Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) that established priorities for actions, research and funding for the Estuary Program. The CCMP serves as the blueprint to guide future decisions and address a wide range of issues. Generally, the CCMP will focus actions with associated goals and objectives under priority focus areas based on public input. 
The current focus areas for the St. Andrew and St. Joseph Bays Estuary Program are as follows:

• Water and Sediment Quality and Quantity
• Natural Resource Management and Species Conservation
• Resiliency
• Stewardship

During our October 6th, 2021 Workshop, community stakeholders participated in a workshop to identify the major stressors and/or management concerns under each of these focus areas. The identified stressors ranged from reducing flooding with storm water management, transitioning septic to sewer to living shorelines projects, seagrass and oyster reef restoration and community outreach and engagement programs. 
During the 2022 calendar year, the Estuary Program will be hosting numerous workshops to help refine the goals and objectives for each focus area and actions necessary to address the issues identified under each focus area. 
Interested in helping? Visit the Advisory Committee page to learn more about these important committees.