(a) Subject to the availability of funding, the council may develop an ocean acidification and hypoxia science task force to ensure that decisionmaking is supported by the best available science.

(b) Subject to the availability of funding, the council shall do both of the following:

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(1) Take actions to address ocean acidification and hypoxia, including, but not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Implement measures to facilitate climate change adaptation in the ocean, consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 71154.

(B) Develop, refine, and integrate predictive models that identify the relative contributions of global and local drivers of ocean acidification and hypoxia in California waters.

(C) Work with other agencies to coordinate and ensure that criteria and standards for coastal water health to address ocean acidification and hypoxia are developed and informed by the best available science.

(D) Develop a comprehensive inventory of areas in California vulnerable to ocean acidification and hypoxia.

(E) Facilitate agreements with other national, state, and regional governments and private entities to establish and advance joint priorities for ocean acidification and hypoxia research.

(F) In coordination with relevant federal, state, and academic entities, identify gaps between the monitoring of ocean acidification and hypoxia and management needs, and the actions necessary to address these gaps.

(2) Beginning January 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, at its first meeting of the year, adopt recommendations for further actions that may be taken to address ocean acidification and hypoxia.

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 352, Sec. 2. (AB 2139) Effective January 1, 2017.)