|
Project Description
The Gulf of Maine, one of the most biologically productive areas in the world, is experiencing severe stress on nearly every aspect of its precious ecosystem. The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) believes that the establishment of a comprehensive network of marine protected areas (MPAs) is the essential foundation to effective ecosystem management and biodiversity protection in the Gulf. We further recognize that a well-crafted process to engage the public and solicit their input on MPA site designation and implementation will be essential to the success of any MPA initiative.
Four years ago, CLF began a long-term initiative to bring a comprehensive system of MPAs to the Gulf of Maine with the objective of improving ecosystem management and protecting marine biodiversity. With grant assistance from the North American Fund for Environmental Cooperation, CLF published a report entitled The Wild Sea: Saving Our Marine Heritage. This report is educating various stakeholder groups, coastal communities, elected officials, and the media about the problems plaguing the health and productivity of New England’s ocean waters and builds a detailed case for how MPAs can turn the tide for the Gulf. CLF has also developed GIS-based seascape maps of the undersea habitats of the Gulf to create a compelling visual tool to educate and engage coastal communities in the process of MPA site selection. We developed these maps in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada, which had already mapped the Canadian side of Gulf of Maine. The final seascape maps are now in the final stages of production. CLF has used these preliminary maps as visuals for outreach and education with great effect.
Community understanding, support, and involvement in MPA site selection are the critical components in this process if MPAs are to become a reality. The challenge in acquiring this support lies in deciphering the scientific jargon and dispelling misconceptions surrounding MPAs for the general public. Having laid the ground work with The Wild Sea and the soon to be completed seascape maps, CLF engaged in a community education and MPA mapping process to bridge the gap between experts and laymen, educate and inform the public about MPAs, increase community involvement in the development of MPAs in the Gulf of Maine, and garner support for MPA legislation.
Analysis
Successes
Our mapping project is leading to the production of the most complete map of the Gulf of Maine ever created. We feel that we have moved the region collectively toward accepting fully protected Marine Protected Areas in the Gulf of Maine. We have gained a fuller understanding of the existing support for strong conservation of these waters. We have greatly strengthened our ties to our colleagues in the conservation communities in the US and Canada and furthered cooperation between these communities and other regional stakeholders, such as the fishing community.
Challenges
The greatest challenge of the project was to unite Canadian and US datasets with differing classification systems. Another, very different, challenge has been in our relationships with fishing communities to continue to focus on common interests and goals, and to avoid being sidetracked by our differences.
Lessons learned
We have learned that MPAs are widely understood to be the logical solution to a number of problems in the Gulf, but that widespread recognition does not translate easily into action.
What next?
We will continue to press forward with our regional campaign, and as we do so we will rely heavily on the strength of relationships we forged during the NAFEC grant period and largely thanks to the NAFEC grant. Our next step is to move from a general outreach campaign to a targeted legislative push to try to convert the great idea of Marine Protected Areas into a reality.
Conservation Law Foundation, inc.
Boston, MA, United States
http://www.clf.org
For more information about this grant, please contact the CEC Secretariat.
|
Canada 
