GOMC Action Plan 2007-2012 - Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine ...

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OverviewA U.S./Canada PartnershipThe <strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong> <strong>Council</strong> on the Marine Environmentis a U.S./Canada partnership <strong>of</strong> government agencies,non-government organizations, and business interests.The <strong>Council</strong>’s mission is to “maintain and enhanceenvironmental quality in the <strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong> and toallow for sustainable resource use by existing andfuture generations.” The <strong>Council</strong> organizes conferencesand workshops on priority issues; conducts integratedenvironmental monitoring and data synthesis; performspolicy analyses; provides grants and awards; acceleratesthe transfer <strong>of</strong> science to management; raises awarenessabout the <strong>Gulf</strong>; and connects people, organizations,data, and information in the region.The governors and premiers <strong>of</strong> the five statesand provinces that border the <strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong>—Massachusetts, New Hampshire, <strong>Maine</strong>, NewBrunswick, and Nova Scotia—created the <strong>Council</strong>in 1989 as a regional forum to exchange informationand engage in long-term planning. The <strong>Council</strong>ors areleaders <strong>of</strong> state, provincial, and federal agencies; nongovernmentorganizations; and the private sector. The<strong>Council</strong> fosters consensus-based decision-making andcollaboration among a wide range <strong>of</strong> parties with aninterest in the <strong>Gulf</strong>. Its meetings are open to the public,and its five-year action plans incorporate diverse publicinput.Representatives <strong>of</strong> government agencies, academia,businesses, and non-government organizationsparticipate in the <strong>Council</strong>’s committees. On an annualrotating basis, one <strong>of</strong> the five states and provinces servesas the Secretariat and coordinates the <strong>Council</strong>’s work.Contract staff located around the region work with the<strong>Council</strong> and its committees to help accomplish its goals.The <strong>Council</strong> is administered by non-pr<strong>of</strong>it associationsin the United States and Canada.Guiding PrinciplesFour principles guide the <strong>Council</strong> and participatingagencies in their decisions involving the <strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong>ecosystem. Each principle is congruent with otherinternational protocols, as well as state, provincial, andnational legislation in Canada and the United States.1. Ecologically sustainable developmentThe <strong>Council</strong> seeks to meet the region’s currentsocial, cultural, and environmental needs withoutcompromising the needs <strong>of</strong> future generations.Working in partnership with others, it strives tosustain ecological processes and enhance theregion’s quality <strong>of</strong> life.2. Ecosystem-based planning and managementThe <strong>Council</strong> supports collaborative managementthat integrates economic, social, and ecologicalvalues and objectives, emphasizing natural ratherthan political boundaries.3. Environmental protection through precautionThe <strong>Council</strong> supports conservation <strong>of</strong> the coastaland marine environment, and urges its membersto proceed with caution to avoid environmentaldegradation.4. Public information and participationThe <strong>Council</strong> is committed to a participatoryprocess that informs and engages the public insetting priorities.<strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong> <strong>Council</strong> on the Marine Environment <strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong> <strong>2007</strong>–<strong>2012</strong> 5
Primary Audiences <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong> <strong>Council</strong> on the Marine EnvironmentAudiencePremiers and governorsCoastal lawmakersCoastal decision-makersCoastal managersAcademics<strong>Gulf</strong> residents and visitorsMarine-dependent industriesScience communityDescriptionThe region’s governors and premiers, their staff, and regionalorganizations that they have formed.Legislators and elected <strong>of</strong>ficials at the federal, state,and provincial levels who have financial and legislativeresponsibility for coastal and marine issues.Senior management in agencies, non-governments, andbusinesses.Policy and science representatives in government agencies,non-government organizations, and businesses.University scientists and other scholarly researchers.People who live, work, and play in the <strong>Gulf</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Maine</strong> region.Businesses, individuals, and organizations that derive most <strong>of</strong>their income from activities tied to the marine environment.Individuals and organizations involved in research,monitoring, ocean observing, and assessment.© Peter TaylorRole and Sphere <strong>of</strong> Influence• As a transboundary organization, the <strong>Council</strong>is uniquely positioned to focus on issues thatrequire or benefit significantly from regionalcollaboration.• The <strong>Council</strong>’s work <strong>of</strong>ten involves collaborationat municipal, state, provincial, national, andbi-national levels.• While the <strong>Council</strong> does not have direct regulatoryor policy-making authority <strong>of</strong> its own, itsgoals and objectives are congruent with state,provincial, and federal priorities. The <strong>Council</strong>promotes progress toward common goals.• The <strong>Council</strong>’s work focuses on complex naturaland socioeconomic systems, making it achallenge to attribute particular outcomes to theorganization’s efforts. However, assessing resultsis essential for continued success.• A strength <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Council</strong> is that it is a coalition<strong>of</strong> people from many groups. However, thisorganizational structure can result in the <strong>Council</strong>’srole being camouflaged, as initiatives mayoccur under the banners <strong>of</strong> member and partnerorganizations.• The <strong>Council</strong> reports on regional progress towardthe goals in this <strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong>. This recognition willidentify the lead organizations, including directactivities <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Council</strong>, its partners, and the work<strong>of</strong> others.Vision for the FutureThe <strong>Council</strong> was formed in recognition <strong>of</strong> the needfor natural resource management spanning politicaland bureaucratic boundaries. In the next five years, asoutlined in this <strong>Action</strong> <strong>Plan</strong>, the <strong>Council</strong> will advanceecosystem-based approaches to management. Buildingon its past accomplishments, the <strong>Council</strong> intends tocontinue supporting region-wide information gatheringand sharing (e.g., seafloor mapping, environmentalmonitoring, science translation to management,indicators, state-<strong>of</strong>-the-environment reporting), publicoutreach and education, habitat restoration, andaddressing key science and policy gaps.The <strong>Council</strong> will continue to foster innovativeapproaches to sharing information and enhancingcollaboration. By working together in a regional forum,the states, provinces, and federal agencies learn fromeach other, try new approaches, and coordinate theirefforts. As a result, they become better stewards <strong>of</strong> theresources for which they are responsible.The <strong>Council</strong> will continue to nurture strongpartnerships among local, regional, and nationalorganizations that are responsive to issues <strong>of</strong> regionalconcern. Wherever appropriate, the <strong>Council</strong> willparticipate and assist these groups, <strong>of</strong>ten seeking tobuild their capacity by creating strategic alliances.6gulf<strong>of</strong>maine.org
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GOMC Action Plan 2007-2012 - Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine ...

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