DMR PUBLIC MEETINGS

Meetings Scheduled for Maine Fisheries Research Priorities

 

As the pressure on Maine’s marine resources continues to increase, it is even more essential to carry out the necessary research to determine how to maintain a sustainable resource base. In order to address this need, the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), in collaboration with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) and the University of Maine Sea Grant Program is launching a new priority setting process to focus and encourage research on areas of greatest importance to the future sustainability of Maine’s marine resources.

A series of meetings will be held in November and December along the coast to bring industry members, scientists, managers and general public participants together to help shape research agendas for sea scallop, herring and lobster. These meetings will focus on current scientific issues in these fisheries and result in an update of research priorities that were generated in a similar series of meetings held in 1996 and 2000.

Significant progress has been made in the last 10 years to address research priorities for lobster, herring and scallops. For example, the establishment of the Maine-New Hampshire Inshore Trawl Survey addresses the lobster assessment priority, “Document lobster abundance in Maine fishing areas through fishery independent means such as a trawl survey.”

Development of a new lobster assessment model was made possible with Sea Grant funding, and is now in use addressing the priority, “Explore new models for lobster assessment and incorporate into models multiple indicators of stock health including results of new collaborative monitoring.” For sea scallops, DMR conducts a Cobscook Bay scallop assessment and has expanded that work coastwide in alternating years.

The goal of this project is to establish and communicate the State’s fisheries research priorities in order to ensure that fishery management decision-making processes are based upon the best scientific and technical information. By establishing and communicating a shared vision of comprehensive research needs, the DMR will be able direct internal funding decisions appropriately; identify and involve potential research partners in the broader marine science community; and provide research ideas for collaborative research with fishermen and scientists.

The format for the meetings is similar to that used previously. Fishermen, scientists and members of the public will participate in a facilitated discussion that provides an opportunity for exchanging ideas and observations that can form the basis for research questions. The meeting schedule is:

Sea scallops
November 18

Machias

 

Herring
November 22

Portland

 

Lobster

December 9

Ellsworth

 

Lobster

December 10

Portland

 

Meetings will run from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. If you would like to attend, or for more information about the meetings please call 624-6553.

CONTENTS

Scallop Grab Blocked

Rail And Snipe: The Other Thanksgiving Birds

Editorial

Herring Amendment to Address Monitoring and River Herring

Limited Entry Discussed for Shrimp Fishery

Testing the Limits of Fishery Management

Impacted Foreign Imports, U.S. Lobstermen Can Get Help Under TAA for Farmers Program

Science Supports Increases in Annual Catch Limits for New England Groundfish

Four Ways to Improve Lobster Quality and Price

Fishermen on Fishing

Salmon Losing Distinct Genetic Characteristics

“Trawlgate’ Successor Boat’s Nets Questioned

DMR Public Meetings

Letters to the Editor

Back Then

Downeast-Area LNG Activist Wins NRCM’s 2010 “People’s Choice’ Award

New Beford Waterfront Festival Reaches New Highs

2010 Common Ground Country Fair A Great Success

Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team Meeting to Discuss Vertical Line

November Meetings

Classifieds

First Time Buyer

NAMA Launches the “Who Fishes Matters” Campaign

Capt. Mark East’s Advice Column