September 29, 2014 — The following was released by the Maine Department of Marine Resources:
The public will get the opportunity to hear an update on an ocean planning process involving Maine and the other New England states designed to address ocean management challenges and advance economic development and conservation objectives.
The meeting, on October 8 from 1 – 4 p.m. at the Hutchinson Center (80 Belmont Avenue) in Belfast, will include an update on progress toward goals outlined by the Northeast Regional Planning Body (RPB), and will ask for feedback from the public on its work to date. Formed as a result of the 2010 National Ocean Policy, the Northeast RPB is developing an ocean plan for New England.
The National Ocean Policy called for the formation of nine RPBs to better manage the nation’s oceans and coasts. New England was the first region in the nation to respond to this call, launching the Northeast RPB in 2012.
The Northeast RPB includes representatives from the six New England states, ten federally recognized tribes, ten federal agencies, and the New England Fishery Management Council. Canada, through its Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the State of New York are represented by ex officio members.
The commissioners of Maine’s Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), Walter Whitcomb, and the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), Patrick Keliher, have designated DACF’s Maine Coastal Program Director Kathleen Leyden and DMR’s Deputy Commissioner Meredith Mendelson as Maine’s representatives on the RPB.
Facilitated by the Consensus Building Institute, the October 8 meeting will include members of the Maine Ocean Advisors Group, a Maine-based stakeholder group that has been convened by DMR and DACF to provide ongoing guidance through 2016 for the State’s participation in the Northeast RPB. The Ocean Advisors consist of more than 30 representatives of sectors such as commercial and recreational fisheries, marine transportation, recreational users, environmental and watershed groups, scientists and municipalities. The meeting will also include opportunity for comment from members of the public in attendance.
The Northeast RPB has no authority to create new regulations. The goals of the RPB are to increase the efficiency of, and improve public participation in government decision-making, to enhance existing programs for healthy ecosystems and to help improve compatibility of future ocean development with past and current ocean activities. Special emphasis is being placed on improving ocean and coastal data and information available to government and the public. The RPB is halfway through development of a regional strategy – there have been and will continue to be many opportunities for public participation throughout the planning process.
To date, the RPB has laid the preliminary groundwork for the plan by engaging industry, environmental groups and members of the public, conducting mapping and data analysis, and creating a regional internet data portal. Projects underway include commercial and recreational fishing mapping, characterization of natural resources, and a regional economic assessment of coastal and ocean sectors such as shipping and aquaculture.
A day-long regional forum will also be held on October 21, 2014 at the University of New Hampshire in the Squamscott Room of Holloway Commons, 75 Main Street, Durham, New Hampshire. Both events are open to the public.
For more information on the Belfast meeting on October 8th, contact Meredith Mendelson at DMR (624-6553) or Kathleen Leyden at DACF (287-3144). For more information on the University of New Hampshire regional forum on October 21st, please contact Katie Lund, RPB Executive Secretary, at 860-460-7120 or klund@northeastoceancouncil.org.
Meeting materials and additional background information can be found at: http://neoceanplanning.org/news/fall-2014-public-meeting-series/