The Gulf of Maine Research Institute serves the Gulf of Maine bioregion as a neutral convenor in the complex world of competing marine resource issues and priorities. Our community programs help to identify emerging challenges and opportunities in New England fisheries and foster a climate of cooperation among a diverse mix of marine stakeholders. We provide fishermen, scientists, resource managers, and environmentalists with a trusted source of rigorous and unbiased information, as well as a variety of forums where they can freely exchange knowledge and ideas.
Completed projects and accomplishments include:
Developing Research Priorities In 2000, the Maine Department of Marine Resources contracted GMRI to convene and facilitate several workshops along the coast of Maine to elicit ideas for research priorities on five key coastal species: clams, lobsters, shrimp, sea urchins, and scallops. These workshops brought together over 240 people, including fishing industry members, academic scientists, government scientists, and fishery managers to clarify research questions and develop a comprehensive list of research needs for these species in the Gulf of Maine. For additional information visit the Department of Marine Resources website. | |
In an effort to facilitate the partnerships needed to make collaborative research happen, FishResearch.org was developed in 2000 through a cooperative effort among fishermen, scientists, marine research institutes, and marine Non-Governmental Organizations. FishResearch.org is a virtual market place for fishermen to learn more about cooperative science and how to become involved in this new economic opportunity - "Fishing for data". Scientists, in turn, can search the site for vessels that suit their needs and also learn about other cooperative research projects taking place in the Gulf of Maine. Reports are also available on the site upon project completion. |  |
 | Industry-based Fishery Survey The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) hired the Gulf of Maine Research Institute in the fall of 2000 to conduct seven scoping meetings (Rockland, Portland, Portsmouth, Gloucester, Chatham, New Bedford, Point Judith) with the fishing and scientific communities to discuss how to develop a program utilizing fishing vessels for fishery-dependent and fishery-independent survey programs. For more information read the Industry Based Survey. Based on the success of the scoping meetings and unanimous endorsement from the Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island marine resource agencies, NMFS hired GMRI in July 2001 to chair a select committee of scientists, managers, and industry representatives within the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England to design an industry-based survey fleet. The goal of the Industry-Based Survey Committee was to clearly define the objectives, implementation strategy, and budget for a pilot survey project in New England employing fishing vessels to survey regions in the Gulf of Maine and Southern New England. The two industry-based pilot projects recommended by the Committee were a survey of cod distribution in the Gulf of Maine and an assessment of yellowtail flounder in southern New England. The initial pilot projects employed six fishing vessels from Maine to Rhode Island in the two efforts with a total budget of $2.38 million in Year One. The long-term goal is to develop a broader industry-based survey vessel fleet utilizing dozens of boats in the region to complement the NMFS and state surveys. For more information see the NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Regional Office website. |
ICES 2006 GMRI co-sponsored the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) 2006, Fishing Technology in the 21st Century, a five-day symposium that convened in Boston, Massachusetts, focusing on the theme of integrating commercial fishing and ecosystem conservation. The symposium drew approximately 275 people from 27 countries representing all of the inhabited continents. The event allowed for the sharing of knowledge and information about fishing practices and ecosystem conservation and attracted a range of attendees from all sectors of the industry including researchers, government employees, non-profit workers, consultants, fishermen, and students interested in sustainable fishing practices. |  |
