Conference to Produce a
Comprehensive Understanding of Eastern Maine Fisheries

State of the Science Conference announced,
June 17-18, UMaine Machias

STONINGTON, ME (March 15, 2019)—The Eastern Maine Coastal Current Collaborative (EM3C), a partnership between three fisheries organizations, has announced a State of the Science Conference, to be held June 17–18, 2019 at the University of Maine at Machias. Registration is now open at www.stateofthescienceconference.org.

State of the Science is a two-day conference to discuss ecosystem-based fisheries management in Eastern Maine, bringing together experts from local governments, fishing, science, and academic communities. The conference is the first step toward producing a comprehensive understanding of the region’s watersheds, intertidal, nearshore, and offshore ecosystems, including their governance and socio-economic factors.

The conference is hosted by partners, Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, a local fisheries nonprofit, as well as Maine DMR and NOAA Fisheries, who manage fisheries at the state and federal level. The partners entered into the Eastern Maine Coastal Current Collaborative (EM3C) in 2017, with a goal of developing a research framework that supports ecosystem-based fisheries management in the Eastern Maine Coastal Current, which extends from western edge of Penobscot Bay to the Canadian border, and includes its watersheds.

The revolutionary approach will produce the most comprehensive scientific analysis of its kind, recognizing that not only biological, but economic and social interactions need to be considered when understanding the future of Eastern Maine’s fisheries. The conference seeks to facilitate this type of cross-ecosystem and interdisciplinary collaboration.

An early bird registration costs $75 and is available until April 12, 2019, after which, registration increases to $100. Registration covers two days of keynote speakers, presentations from experts on watershed, intertidal, nearshore, and offshore ecosystems, lunch, dinner, and shuttle services to and from Machias hotels. The conference has also secured free tickets for the first 20 students who register. For more information, or to register, visit www.stateofthescienceconference.org.

Contact: Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries, Dr. Carla Guenther, Chief Scientist, cguenther@coastalfisheries.org, 207-367-2708.