In June 2004, the Maine Sea Grant Program was awarded National Sea Grant funding to initiate education and outreach on the use of marine protected areas (MPAs) as a tool for fisheries and other marine management. The Marine Extension Team has begun planning of focus groups to compile input from Maine stakeholders to submit to the National MPA Advisory Committee, which is developing recommendations regarding MPAs and their management within U.S. waters. This work builds on two successful sessions on MPAs conducted at the Maine Fishermen’s Forum in 2003 and 2004. Proceedings from these sessions follow.

Maine Fishermen's Forum Special Session

The 2003 Maine Fishermen’s Forum hosted a special session on Thursday, February 27, 2003 entitled “Using Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) for Fisheries Management in the Gulf of Maine”. The event was organized by the Maine Sea Grant program along with other partners including the Maine Fishermen’s Forum Board, the Maine Department of Marine Resources , the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, and the Maine Coastal Program. This workshop was one of several being organized by the Northeast Regional Sea Grant Programs, part of the nation-wide effort to enhance the fisheries extension component of the National Sea Grant network.

Approximately 120 people attended this all-day session, with about one-third of them being working fishermen. Others in the audience included representatives of the general public, state and federal agencies, fisheries management councils, non-governmental organizations, environmental groups, and scientists. The session was organized into several presentations in plenary sessions followed by breakout groups tasked with considering next steps in the process of evaluating a possible role for MPAs in fisheries management in the Gulf of Maine. Hard copies of these presentations can be made available upon request.

The event organizers wish to thank all of the presenters, sponsors, and facilitators that helped make this a successful event.