This executive summary outlines the key elements of Maine Sea Grant's Strategic Plan for 2001 - 2005, Marine Science for Maine People. The Strategic Plan is intended to guide the Maine Sea Grant Program from February 2001 to January 2005 as we pursue our mission to play a leadership role in marine science research and education and to promote their use for the development, management, and stewardship of marine and coastal resources. Readers interested in more detail should consult the full version of the plan, which also contains a two-year Implementation Plan (February 2001 to January 2003).

Maine Sea Grant is a unit of the University of Maine, the flagship campus of the University of Maine System. Maine Sea Grant is one of the smaller programs in the National Sea Grant network, with an annual federal budget of approximately $935,000 (2001/2002). Approximately half of the total budget is spent on funded research, awarded through an annual peer-reviewed competition, with the remainder supporting management, communications, extension, and education programs. A key element in our programming is the Marine Extension Team, jointly funded by University of Maine Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant, which provides extension support for coastal communities along the entire coast.

Maine Sea Grant provides services and information to a range of constituents, and input from clients was an essential part of the strategic planning process. The most important stakeholder input was provided by our 25-member Policy Advisory Committee, which was actively involved in reviewing and revising the plan through several drafts. The Strategic Plan is organized into three theme areas: ecosystem health, aquaculture and fisheries. The theme areas will be the major focus of our efforts over the next four years. The Strategic Plan also outlines several program areas that represent important overarching elements, such as education, that apply to all of the theme areas.

THEME AREAS

Ecosystem Health

Maine's diverse 4,500-mile coastline, with its more than 4,600 islands, is an immensely valuable resource for the people of the state and the nation. The ecosystem health theme in this plan focuses on the many interactions between humans and the marine and coastal environment, and on the sustainable functioning of coastal communities. Some of the important issues and problems include:

· Tourism. Tourism is the largest sector of the state's marine economy, generating almost $800 million for the coastal counties of the state.

· Population growth. Nearly 44 percent of Maine's 1.2 million people live in the coastal zone, which accounts for 12 percent of the state's area. The coastal population has increased rapidly, especially in southern Maine, and this trend is expected to continue.

· Habitat loss and degradation. Many of the most sensitive and threatened coastal ecosystems, such as salt marshes, sea grass beds, estuaries and sand dunes, play an important role in the overall ecology of the Gulf of Maine.

· Pollution. Casco Bay is heavily impacted by Portland, Maine's largest city, and shares similar problems of contaminated sediments and nutrient enrichment with many other urban harbors. Other issues include localized mercury contamination, bioaccumulation of dioxin and other industrial contaminants, and sewage contamination of coastal waters.

· Natural hazards. Maine's coastal communities are susceptible to a variety of natural hazards, ranging from hurricanes to coastal flooding, as well as longer-term factors such as coastal erosion and sea-level rise.

The overall goals in Ecosystem Health are to:

· Provide science-based information to help preserve the coastal environment and human communities.

· Stimulate the sustainable development of marine industries.

· Promote citizen involvement in environmental stewardship.

· Help coastal communities deal with issues concerning land use planning, environmental protection and management, and use conflicts.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective EH-1: Develop a working definition of marine and coastal ecosystem health, establish ways in which it can be measured, and identify where more information is required.

Objective EH-2: Help develop and support volunteer-based, environmental monitoring programs to collect information required by researchers, regulators, and local communities.

Objective EH-3: Provide coastal communities with technical information and resources so that their decisions can be based upon accurate information.

Objective EH-4: Increase community support for, and participation in, restoration and preservation of coastal habitats.

Aquaculture

In 1998, Maine was responsible for two-thirds of the total aquaculture production in the Northeast U.S. (worth $91.2 million), and ranked fourth nationally with $66.6 million in farm gate value. Maine's aquaculture industry directly supports 1100 jobs. Atlantic salmon is the most important crop, with a production of about 30 million pounds (1998), valued at approximately $60 million, but there is a significant and growing shellfish aquaculture industry, worth $6 to $8 million. Some of the important issues and problems include:

· Environmental impacts. There is increasing concern about the environmental impacts of aquaculture, ranging from nutrient enrichment to effects on wild stocks of Atlantic salmon.

· Policy. There is an ongoing debate about the expansion of aquaculture in Maine, and several recent lease applications have faced considerable opposition from other stakeholders.

· Husbandry. Improvements are required in culture techniques and practices, ranging from strain improvement to disease prevention and treatment.

· New species and markets. Research and development is required to allow the industry to diversify into new species and take advantage of new markets for products such as pharmaceuticals and other non-food products.

The overall goals in Aquaculture are to:

· Provide information and technical support to enhance the long-term sustainability of the aquaculture industry.

· Contribute to the ongoing debate about aquaculture in the state of Maine by providing the public with unbiased and accurate information.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective AQ-1: Provide the public with unbiased and accurate information about aquaculture.

Objective AQ-2: Address problems in gear development, husbandry practices, disease, broodstock development, and other related issues.

Objective AQ-3: Assist with feasibility studies and pilot projects to investigate alternative species for propagation in Maine.

Objective AQ-4: Assist with the development of standards and policy for the aquaculture industry.

Fisheries

Many coastal Maine communities depend upon commercial fishing for their prosperity, much as they have for the better part of two centuries, and the industry currently supports 26,000 jobs. Maine has the most valuable fishery on the East Coast, with 1999 landings of almost 257 million pounds of commercial fishery products, worth more than $323 million. Some of the important issues and problems include:

· Lobster fishery. Lobster is Maine's most valuable fishery, with more than 52 million pounds landed in 1999 for an estimated value of $180 million. Although lobster landings have increased since 1989, with each of the past three years being records, there is concern over the long-term stability of the fishery, and considerable disagreement among state, academic, and federal scientists on management strategies.

· Declining and developing fisheries. Many of Maine's most important fisheries-including cod and haddock, soft-shell clams, and sea urchins-have experienced serious declines. This has increased pressures on previously overlooked species such as bait worms, sea cucumbers, elvers, periwinkles, and seaweed.

· Fisheries management. Understanding the effects of fishing pressure on commercially harvested stocks and developing ways to achieve sustainability and ecosystem-based management are continuing challenges for fishery managers. Maine is a leader in developing new management practices that involve industry members in decision-making.

The overall goals in Fisheries are to:

· Provide information and technical support to enhance the long-term sustainability of the fishing industry.

· Increase participation of industry members in fisheries management and research.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective F-1: Assist the fishing industry to participate in the development and implementation of conservation and management strategies.

Objective F-2: Enhance collaboration between the fishing industry and scientists in the design and implementation of fisheries research projects.

PROGRAM AREAS

The program areas outlined below are overarching elements that apply to all of the theme areas.

Management

The overall goals for Program Management are to:

· Improve and expand Sea Grant's research, extension, education, and communications programs.

· Maintain a highly ranked Sea Grant program.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective PM-1: Obtain increased funding for Maine Sea Grant.

Objective PM-2: Maintain effective program management.

Research

The overall goals for Research are to:

· Focus research on the priorities of the state and nation, and maintain the highest scientific standards.

· Transfer information to stakeholders in a timely and effective manner.

· Train individuals qualified to work in marine science and policy.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective R-1: Focus funded research on the priorities of Maine's stakeholders.

Objective R-2: Include an explicit outreach component in funded research projects.

Objective R-3: Train undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers.

Objective R-4: Involve more scientists in Sea Grant research.

Communications

The overall goals in Communications are to:

· Demonstrate that Maine Sea Grant has made a difference to the lives of people in coastal communities and to the economy of the state.

· Increase the public's general understanding of ocean and coastal issues.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective C-1: Provide information about and promote Maine Sea Grant.

Objective C-2: Provide the public with information about marine science and the Gulf of Maine.

Education

The overall goals in Education are to:

· Promote K-12 students' and teachers' interest in, and understanding of, ocean and coastal habitats, and encourage incorporation of marine science in classroom curricula.

· Provide professional development opportunities in marine science for teachers.

· Provide opportunities for K-12 students to become involved in research.

· Provide opportunities for graduate students to gain experience in marine policy.

We will work towards these goals by addressing the following objectives:

Objective E-1: Provide experiential training opportunities for K-12 teachers.

Objective E-2: Provide opportunities for high school and undergraduate students to participate in marine research and extension.

Objective E-3: Provide graduate students with opportunities for experiential learning and service in marine policy.

SUMMARY

The Gulf of Maine is an important resource for the people of the northeastern United States and maritime Canada, and is especially critical for the citizens of the state of Maine. The majority of Maine's citizens live in the coastal zone, and many individuals, industries, and communities are directly dependent upon marine resources. Maine Sea Grant has an important role to play in promoting the understanding, wise development, and conservation of the resources of the Gulf of Maine and the Maine coast and in sustaining our coastal communities and marine industries. The Strategic Plan provides an overall vision for the future and will guide our efforts over the next four years. The Plan is intended to provide a framework on which to build our programming, not to constrain our activities. Our success will be measured by our ability to have a positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of Maine's citizens. To do so, we have attempted to create a flexible plan that depends upon developing and maintaining close working relationships with stakeholders. Although finite resources and the need to maintain ongoing programs may limit our immediate flexibility, we welcome comments and input from anyone with an interest in the marine resources of the state of Maine.