The National Sea Grant College Program has developed a new national strategic action plan, "NOAA National Sea Grant College Program, Strategic Action Agenda 2009-2013: Meeting the Challenge". All state program plans will align to this national plan by late summer 2008. A next step for Sea Grant is to develop a method that implements the national, regional and state plans in an effective, coordinated and collective manner. Since the new strategic plan is organized around focus areas (Safe and Sustainable Seafood Supply, Sustainable Coastal Development, Healthy Coastal Ecosystems and Hazard Resilience in Coastal Communities) we are developing a new organizational structure with focus teams to help us accomplish the goals and strategies outlined in the national plan.

Focus teams derive from and will function similarly to Sea Grant's theme teams, which they will replace. Focus teams will help identify, coordinate and assess Sea Grant's activities in the focus areas described in the national plan. Similar to theme teams, focus area teams will:

• Facilitate planning, implementation, synthesizing and reporting of Sea Grant activities and accomplishments in the identified focus areas.
• Identify new opportunities and directions for national and regional initiatives.
• Catalyze cooperative efforts among Sea Grant College Programs, the NSGO, NOAA, other agencies and NGOs.
• Provide a mechanism to further solidify Sea Grant?s local, regional and national identity.