CHPPs is:
CHPPs is a cooperative, non-regulatory community-based initiative that focuses voluntary efforts and leveraged resources on fish and fish habitat of concern to NOAA. Its objectives are to:
- Establish and nurture local partnerships to protect habitat
- Enable communities to identify issues, develop strategies and implement solutions
- Promote awareness and stewardship of fish habitat
- Provide technical assistance and small grants
CHPPs is a new strategy to protect habitat and to build a program similar to the Community-based Restoration Program but with a focus on the front end of habitat conservation - preventing damage to resources, as opposed to restoring them after damage or alteration has occurred.
CHPPs operates only where NOAA trust resources are at issue. The goals and objectives were developed by NOAA Fisheries Habitat Protection staff, including Headquarters and Regional staff. Project ideas come from regional staff based on local knowledge of local issues.
CHPPs is currently operational and is capitalizing on various funding opportunities and ad hoc resources as well as attempting to organize the many proactive, non-regulatory assistance and collaborative activities that each regional program is engaged in and combining them into a marketing strategy and future budget initiatives.
CHPPs is a stand-alone initiative that would exist regardless of NFHAP. However, the simultaneous advent of these fundamentally similar initiatives should be taken as an opportunity. CHPPs is one way the NOAA Fisheries Habitat Protection Program engages in and implements NFHAP activities.
