Gulf of Maine Meeting to Focus on New Ties

The public is invited to discuss ways to create new ties and improve communications between the Gulf of Maine Council and its stakeholders.

A discussion entitled Sharing Information Among Neighbours will be held Thursday, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Yarmouth Golf and Country Club, as part of the council's biennial meeting. Stakeholders include the Clean Annapolis River Project and Ecology Action Centre.

"The objective is to find the best ways of working with the different sectors toward the common goal of sustaining the gulf's resources," said Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell, a council member.

The council was created in 1989 to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine area extending from Cape Sable to Nantucket, Mass. Senior government officials from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire sit on the council.

As a complement to the discussion, a mini-fair involving organizations from around the gulf will be held at the town hall. The fair will provide these groups with an opportunity to exchange information, promote their organizations, and interact with the government and business representatives of the council.

A special award presentation will also be made at a reception held during the meeting. The annual Longard Gulf Volunteer Award, in memory of Art Longard, former director of policy, planning and coastal resources, and a founder of the council, will be given to a volunteer who has made a significant contribution to the conservation or management of the gulf's natural resources.

The biennial meeting began earlier this week when the Gulf of Maine Council working group gathered for discussions Tuesday and Wednesday. The working group joins the council at their meetings Thursday and Friday.