• The proposed project or activity must address or substantially contribute to the understanding of management problems or opportunities relating to the use, conservation, or restoration of coastal and/or ocean resources.

• The proposed project or activity must provide a clear research objective, demonstrate the use of sound scientific methods and experimental design, and specify the anticipated product.

• The proposed project or activity must demonstrate how it can assist, complement, or augment the work of government agencies or private sector interests in their efforts to manage the use, conservation, or restoration of coastal and/or ocean resources. Proposals which respond to the annual list of priority research topics or issues identified by the RASGAP pursuant to Section 1B above will be given enhanced consideration during the ranking process.

• The proposed project or activity must be supported by, prepared in cooperation with, or of expressed interest to a public or private agency or association involved with the use, conservation, or restoration of coastal and/or ocean resources.

• The proposed project or activity must promote or be of discernible benefit to current or future generations.

Policy: The RASGAP shall encourage and support research and programs that will provide information for use by the legislature, government agencies, the public, and the private sector regarding the use, conservation, or restoration of coastal and/or ocean resources consistent with California's Coastal Zone Management Program.

• Identify the important functions and processes of environmentally sensitive coastal and/or ocean habitat areas, including wetlands, riparian corridors, estuaries, intertidal and sub-tidal habitat, and sand dunes.

• Identify and evaluate strategies and techniques to improve the protection, enhancement, monitoring, and restoration of environmentally sensitive coastal and/or ocean habitat areas.

• Identify and evaluate environmentally sound mitigation strategies and techniques to avoid, lessen, or compensate for the adverse impacts of development on coastal and/or ocean resources.

• Improve the understanding of marine-related ecosystems, such as coastal watersheds, and develop strategies and techniques to improve the management of these systems.

• Evaluate methods to better understand, measure, and reduce point and non-point source water and to communicate this information to the public.

• Evaluate the evolving legal doctrine relative to the protection of the public interest, private property rights, international law, and public trust values in living and non living coastal and/or ocean resources. Identify and evaluate legal strategies or dispute resolution processes to address these evolving legal trends.

• Identify and evaluate planning strategies and management techniques to address the cumulative impacts of coastal and ocean uses. Such assessments should include an analysis of the impacts of existing, approved, proposed, or projected developments or uses.

• Evaluate methods to better understand, predict, plan for, or respond to the hydrodynamic, sedimentation, and geotechnical processes that affect the survival of coastal and/or ocean structures or that cause shorelines to change.

• Identify and evaluate environmentally acceptable methods to meet the demand for coastal and/or ocean related tourism and recreational uses, especially in view of California's rapidly increasing population and its developing ethnic, cultural, and economic diversity.

• Conduct studies to increase the understanding of living marine and estuarine resources, such as the assessment of fish populations; develop techniques and strategies to improve the viability of recreational and commercial fisheries, aquaculture and other types of coastal and/or ocean dependent uses concerning living marine and estuarine resources. This could include developing multi-species, multi-stock, bio-economic models and other assessment techniques.

• Identify and evaluate strategies and techniques to enhance and promote the environmental sustainability of coastal and/or ocean dependent industries such as commercial ports and harbors, commercial fishing and processing, aquaculture, marine transportation, ocean engineering, tourism, recreation, as well as energy and mineral extraction activities.

• Develop and advance the tools of marine biotechnology and molecular and cellular biology for applications in pharmacology and biomedical research, aquaculture, environmental remediation, sea food safety, and other related fields.

• Develop and evaluate ocean engineering methods, systems, or technologies with a focus on practical and economically viable applications to coastal and/or ocean uses.

• Identify economically viable and commercially useful alternative coastal and/or ocean applications of military engineering concepts, technologies, or products.

Policy:The RASGAP shall encourage and support research and programs that help safeguard the public's health, safety and welfare relative to coastal and/or ocean uses and that protect or restore the quality of coastal and/or ocean waters which sustain the State's living marine resources.

• Identify and evaluate methods and technologies to assist primary receivers, processors, wholesalers, and distributors of fish products in their compliance with safe handling requirements, such as the new FDA Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) mandates.

• Identify and quantify chemical contaminants in significant commercial and noncommercial species (e.g., sport fish) consumed by sport fishers. Develop or improve methods (e.g., risk assessment) for evaluating the safety of consuming contaminated fish and shellfish (commercial or noncommercial.

• Study the ecological processes (i.e., fate, transport) involved in this contamination.

• Develop or improve methods and materials for evaluating and communicating risks of chemical exposure to the public. Promote the public perception of the safety of consuming California sport and commercial fish and shellfish.

• Develop or improve methods to address questions regarding the health hazards associated with recreational activities (e.g. swimming, diving, surfing, etc.).

• Develop and improve methods to address questions of ecosystem health as it effects the public use of coastal oceans.

• Analyze methods to improve the assessment of economic damage caused by accidents such as oil or hazardous material spills.

• Identify and evaluate the socio-economic, environmental, and human health consequences of natural toxins and waste disposal /discharge or contaminant discharge into the marine environment.

Policy: The RASGAP shall encourage and support research and programs that contribute to the public's understanding of coastal and/or ocean ecosystems.

• Develop or improve curricula and study aids (such as public education pamphlets and brochures) that promote public understanding of coastal and/or ocean resources.

• Identify and evaluate methods to improve information transfer technology such as computer based information systems that facilitate communication, analysis, and improved understanding of coastal and/or ocean resources.

• Identify and support methods to improve the delivery and content of scientific advisory services, such as the services provide by the Sea Grant Advisor program.