Current Research and Partners

The Center for the Blue Economy partners with many U.S. and international organizations to achieve its objectives.
The Center for the Blue Economy believes that policies and practices affecting ocean and coastal resource management decisions should be informed by the perspectives and tools of economics, and based on reliable, consistent, and comprehensive data. Our partners help us achieve this goal.
Research Projects and Partners 2011-2021
Project Name | Partner/s | Year/s |
Research and Analysis of proposed Chumash Marine Sanctuary | Sierra Club | 2012-2015 |
Research and Analysis of economic consequence of offshore oil drilling | Southern Environmental Law Center | 2012-2015 |
Economic Effects of Sea Level Rise in Monterey Bay | The Nature Conservancy | 2015-2018 |
Natural Infrastructure Project | Lloyds of London | 2015-2017 |
Working Group on Water Quality Management | The Southern California Coastal Water Research Authority | 2016 |
Arctic Economic Analysis | World Wildlife Foundation | 2016 |
Maritime Economy Study | University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth | 2016 |
Development of a Prototype of a Community Risk Assessment Process for Shoreline Erosion Response Using Southern Monterey Bay | NOAA-Sea Grant | 2017-2018 |
San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative Regional Economic Vulnerability Study | NOAA-Coastal Resilience | 2017-2018 |
Mid Atlantic Coastal Resiliency Study | Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Council (MARCO) | 2017-2018 |
Development of the U.S. Ocean Economic Satellite Account | NOAA-Bureau of Economic Analysis | 2017-2018 |
Defining and measuring the blue technology sector | NOAA-Eastern Research Group | 2017-2018 |
Defining and measuring the ocean economy of US Island Territories | NOAA-Eastern Research Group | 2017-2018 |
Bangladesh: Blue Economy & Sundarbans Fisheries Assessment Report | World Bank-Duke University | 2017-2018 |
Ecosystem Service Assessment in the Stillaguamish River Estuary | NOAA-Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife | 2017-2021 |
Transportation Corridor Study for Highway 1 | California Department of Transportation-ASSOCIATION OF MONTEREY BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS | 2018-2020 |
Developing a Methodology for Estimating the Economic Benefits of Ocean Observing Systems | U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing Systems (IOOS) Association-NOAA | 2018-2020 |
Estimating the economic impact of defense related spending in the Monterey Bay | Monterey Bay Defense Alliance | 2018-2019 |
Improved flood forecasts and economic data | NOAA-Eastern Research Group | 2018-2020 |
Comprehensive Review of the Prototype U.S. Ocean Economic Satellite Account | NOAA-Eastern Research Group | 2018-2019 |
AlaskaNor: Opportunities for Blue Growth in Alaska and North Norway | Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs-High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University | 2018-2021 |
Measuring the Economic Benefits Associated with the Southern Sea Otter in Elkhorn Slough | Monterey Bay Aquarium | 2019-2020 |
Preliminary Assessment of the Blue Economy in Kenya and Tanzania | World Wildlife Fund-Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions Duke University | 2019-2020 |
Economic Evaluation of Sea Level Rise Adaptation Options For West Cliff Drive and environs in Santa Cruz, CA | City of Santa Cruz-Dave Revell/Revell Coastal | 2019-2020 |
Coordination and Technical Support for U.S. Ocean Economic Satellite Account to Assure Consistency with International Standards | NOAA-Coastal Management | 2019-2020 |
Translating Climate Uncertainty to Climate Risk in Support of Water Resource Infrastructure Adaptation Decisions | NOAA, Dept. of Commerce, University of Southern Maine | 2019-2021 |
Assessment of Economic Benefits of Coastal and Inland Ecosystems Restoration with a Special Focus on Fisheries and Aquaculture | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO) | 2019-2020 |
Assessing the Market and Non-market Value of Hazard Prevention, Preparedness and Recovery Program Activities | NOAA-Eastern Research Group | 2020 |
The Value of America’s Estuaries | TBD Economic | 2020-2021 |
The Blue Potential on Svalbard: A New Hub for Arctic Fisheries? | Fridtjof Nansen Institute | 2020-2022 |
Assessing the Market and Non-market Value of Hazard Prevention, Preparedness and Recovery Program Activities | NOAA-Eastern Research Group | 2019-2021 |
Business Economic Analysis for West Coast Based Urchin Ranching | NOAA-University of San Diego | 2021-2022 |
Review of Literature and Existing Data Sources Related to Recreational Uses of the California Coast | Natural Resources Defense Council—Oceans Program | 2021 |
Creation of Extended Ocean Economic Accounts for the Mid-Atlantic Region | Coastal States Stewardship Foundation (CSSF)-Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Council (MARCO) | 2021 |
The Economics: National Ocean Watch (ENOW) data set project | NOAA—Tetra Tech, Inc. | 2021-2024 |
MOUs and MOAs

The Center for the Blue Economy enters into formal cooperative agreements with like-minded organizations to give a framework for our cooperation. Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) and Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) guide our partnerships with these institutions.
Year |
Partner Organization |
Purpose |
Status |
2011 |
CSUMB: California State University, Monterey Bay |
Academic Exchange |
Current |
2011 |
UCSC: University of California, Santa Cruz |
Academic Exchange |
Current |
2013 |
Shanghai Ocean University |
Academic Exchange |
Current |
2015 |
Korea Maritime Institute |
Research Exchange |
Current |
2015 |
The Nature Conservancy |
Research and Internships for Students |
Current |
2016 |
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute |
Creation of US Ocean Satellite Account |
Current |
2017 |
NMDIS: National Marine Data and Information Service, State Oceanic Administration, China |
Academic and Research Exchange |
Current |
2017 |
The Ocean Foundation |
Research and Internships for Students |
Current |
CBE Summer Fellow Host Organizations

The Center for the Blue Economy Summer Fellowships prepare students for careers that have an immediate positive impact on ocean and coastal sustainability. Below is our list of partner organizations that host CBE Summer Fellows.
Year |
Partner Organization |
|
2011–21 |
Wild Aid |
|
2011–21 |
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) |
|
2011-21 |
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) |
|
2011-21 |
Conservation International |
|
2011-18 |
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) |
|
2012 |
Jane Goodall Institute |
|
2012 |
Tobacco Caye Marine Station |
|
2012–18 |
World Resources Institute |
|
2012-13 |
Fish Wise |
|
2012-18 |
One Reef |
|
2012-15 |
United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) |
|
2013-21 |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) |
|
2013 |
Driscoll’s |
|
2013 |
KAI Marine Services |
|
2013 |
Ocean Recovery Alliance |
|
2013–21 |
Oceana |
|
2013 |
Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program |
|
2013-17 |
Save the Waves |
|
2013-18 |
National University of Galway, Socio-Economic Marine Research Unit |
|
2013-17 |
Maersk Drilling and Shipping |
|
2014 |
Eco Viva |
|
2014–16 |
Environmental Justice Foundation |
|
2014 |
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD |
|
2014–18 |
The Nature Conservancy |
|
2014-16 |
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Programme of Action |
|
2014-21 |
National Ocean Economics Program |
|
2015–16 |
Both Company |
|
2015–19 |
California Coastal Commission (CCC) |
|
2015–16 |
Root Solutions/Marine Mammal Center |
|
2016 |
Pelagic Data Systems |
|
2017–18 |
Think Beyond Plastics |
|
2018-21 |
The Nature Conservancy |
|
2018 |
E2E Foundation |
|
2018-19 |
Business for Social Responsibility |
|
2018 |
Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust |
|
2019 |
Alfred Wegener Institute, German Arctic Office |
|
2019 |
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve |
|
2020 |
Ocean Protection Council |
|
2020 |
Seafood Solutions |
|
2020 |
Surfrider |
|
2021 |
Inland Ocean Coalition |
|
2021 |
NYC Mayor’s Office of Resiliency |
|
2021 |
Whale Shark and Oceanic Research Center |
|
2021 |
Anthropocene Institute’s Protected Seas |
|
2021 |
Pacific Ocean Energy Trust |
|
2021 |
Humboldt County - Planning and Building Department |