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Paul Boudreau
Chris Brehme
Stephen Crawford
Norval Collins
Stephen Engle
Scott Frasier
Jennifer Graham
Wil Hopkins
Peter Larsen
Heidi Leighton
Nathan Michaud
Dale Mitchell
Dan O’Grady
Kathleen Reardon
Francis Rodman
Paul Schroeder
Torrey R Sheafe
Peter Steenstra
Thomas Trott
1. GOMINFOEX Vision, Introduction and Agenda review
1.1. The Vision and the Statement of Neutrality of Process and Inclusiveness were read, all participants were welcomed and the Cobscook Bay Resource Center was thanked for hosting the meeting.
1.2. Some agenda items were rescheduled to take advantage of participants attendance.
2. Roundtable update of Activities
2.1. The registry of information exchange was reviewed and updated based on the contributions of the participants.
3. Technical Sessions
3.1. Hopkins provided an overview of the Cobscook Bay Resource Center (http://www.cobscook.org) and some of its activities highlighting their experience in supporting community groups and their information exchange needs;
3.2. Frasier provided a presentation on the work of students from the Shead High School highlighting the full array of expertise that has been successfully applied at field sampling and data collection (http://www.shead.org/tidal_project.htm)
3.3. A progress report on Gulf of Maine Digital Library (http//:WWW.GOMDL.ORG) was given by Schroeder and Brehme. There was a discussion on what role GOMINFOEX might play in supporting the Digital Library and on how to continue the development of a common concept for further development. Collins, Hopkins, Schroeder and Brehme agreed to post materials to the GOMINFOEX list serv in an attempt to expand the discussion on the concept to others who have been involved in digital library planning to date. The aim is to link back to the Out of the Fog II suggestions and to clarify the concept. This will help to focus efforts and increase support.
3.4. Progress report on Project Mapping/PeopleFinder - The next development phase of an online map interface to the GoM Council's People Finder contact database is nearing completion. This will be a component of the Island Institute's e-Atlas of the Gulf of Maine (http://atlas.islandinstitute.org/). An announcement will be made to GOMINFOEX in the near future.
4. Out of the Fog 2: One year later - Are we headed in the right direction to achieve the objectives identified last November? What has been accomplished? What course corrections might be needed? How might Out of the Fog 3 in Fall 2002 be helpful?
4.1. The three components of GOMINFOEX were expressed as: Products/Process/Organization.
4.1.1. The Products include such things as the Digital Library, e-Atlas, Participants Map, etc.
4.1.2. The Process involves the use of electronic and face-to-face exchanges to meet others and build trust in our common work. This included the development of agreed principles of our interaction that clarify and support our interactions.
4.1.3. The Organisation involves how we do this and includes meetings, the list serv, etc.
4.2. All three have evolved dramatically from the first Out of the Fog workshop and it is expected that this evolution is good and that it will continue. Although some of this is captured in the draft Constituting Document (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gominfoex/pdf/ConstitutingDocumentation.pdf), additional discussion and work is required.
4.3. The Action Committee agreed to prepare an Idea Piece to be posted to the List Serv for the consideration and comment of all participants. An Out of the Fog III workshop in November 2002 might provide an appropriate opportunity to have a full discussion on the course of GOMINFOEX.
5. We've reached agreement on the "Neutrality Statement". What is the next principle we need to articulate for the success of GOMINFOEX?;
5.1. In an effort to promote a discussion on additional GOMINFOEX principles that would be useful to develop, Hopkins presented the GeoData Alliance Core Principles (http://www.geoall.net/core_principles.html) as a starting point. It was agreed that the development of principles should be driven by our needs as was the case with the accepted Statement of Neutrality of Process and Inclusiveness. Based on recent discussions, the following three GeoData Alliance principle should be considered for development within GOMINFOEX:
5.1.1. Members have the right to self-organise at any time, on any scale, and around any activity consistent with the purpose and principles;
5.1.2. Authority will be vested in, functions performed at, and resources used by the smallest or most local part that includes all relevant and affected parties;
5.1.3. Deliberations and decision of the Geodata Alliance will be made by bodies and methods that reasonably represent all relevant and affected parties and that are dominated by none.
5.1.4. people would go away, consider this question, and come back prepared to further discuss at the next meeting.
6. Sustainability Indicators: Measuring trends, trendiness or community self-discovery
6.1. There was a discussion on the development and linkage between indicators of sustainability and the required information. It was discussed that indicators of sustainability in coastal communities would provide a clear focus for the information exchange within GOMINFOEX.
6.2. Collins and Hopkins agreed to continue to work on developing a work description for this effort.
7. Miscellaneous Announcements
7.1.1. Schroeder mentioned the usefulness of Axon software for conceptualizing and clarifying concepts: http://web.singnet.com.sg/~axon2000/
8. Closing
8.1. All participants were invited to post their impression/account of the meeting to the List Serv (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gominfoex/gominfoex_listserv.htm) to expand on the reporting of the meeting and to ensure that as many points of view are presented to other GOMINFOEX participants.
8.2. Next Meeting: The Bay of Fundy Marine Resource Centre in Cornwallis has expressed interest in hosting a GOMINFOEX Action Committee. To keep to a quarterly meeting schedule, this would be sometime in March 2002. Unfortunately, the Bar Harbour to Yarmouth Ferry does not run until May, thus making travel to N.S. somewhat more difficult. Boudreau agreed to contact the BFMRC and consider the options.
1.1. Gulf of Maine Environmental Information Exchange (GOMINFOEX)
1.1.1. co-ordinator/organisational structure
1.1.2. Digital Library (http//:WWW.GOMDL.ORG)
1.1.3. Silly-Word (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gominfoex/silly_word.htm)
1.1.4. E-Atlas (http://www.islandinstitute.org/eatlas.html).
1.1.5. Association with GeoData Alliance (http://www.geoall.net/6p-principles.htm)
1.1.6. Participants Map (http://www.spatial.maine.edu/~schroedr/gom/participants.html)
1.1.7. Proposal development for Sustainable Communities information.
1.1.8. Fishers web page (http://www.gfwa.org/~gfwa/default.htm)
1.1.9. Out of the Fog Conference Series (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gominfoex/out_of_the_fog_ii.htm)
1.1.10. GOMINFOEX List Serv (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/gominfoex/gominfoex_listserv.htm)1.2. Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment Website (www.gulfofmaine.org)
1.2.1. People Finder (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/cdb/index.html)
1.2.1.1. Geographic online map interface to the People Finder database
1.2.2. On-the-fly mailing groups (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/cdb/index.html)
1.2.3. Discussion Forum (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/cgi-bin/forum.cgi)
1.2.4. Gulf of Maine Times (http://www.gulfofmaine.org/times/)
1.2.5. Science Translator at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (http://www.wellsreserve.org/)1.3. Marine Invertebrate Diversity Initiative (http://www.fundyforum.com/MIDI/)
1.4. Island Institute (http://www.islandinstitute.org/)
1.4.1. E-Atlas (http://atlas.islandinstitute.org/home.asp?section=introduction)
1.4.2. Island Fellows (http://www.islandinstitute.org/fellowship.tmpl)
1.4.3. Working Waterfront (http://atlas.islandinstitute.org/wwf/main.asp)
1.4.4. Community GIS Planning1.5. Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GoMOOS) – (http://www.gomoos.org/)
1.6. Department of Fisheries and Oceans
1.6.1. Virtual Data Centre (http://cephbase.biology.dal.ca/gmbis/aconscripts/GroundfishSurveyMap.html)
1.6.2. Ocean Sciences Data Centre (http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/ocean/home.html)
1.6.3. International Council on the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) Marine Habitat Mapping Working Group (http://www.ices.dk/COMMITTE/MHC/WGMHM.HTM)1.7. Census of Marine Life (http://core.ssc.erc.msstate.edu/censhome.html)
1.7.1. Gulf of Maine Biogeographical Information System (GMBIS) (http://kiefer4.usc.edu/gmbis/index.htm)
1.7.2. Benthic mapping
1.8. Gulf of Maine Aquarium (http://octopus.gma.org/)
1.8.1. Fish and scientist web page (http://www.Fishresearch.org)
1.8.2. Circuit Rider (http://octopus.gma.org/circuit_rider/index.html)
1.8.2.1. Vital Signs – distributed monitoring technology and framework
1.9. GOMPAS Marine Protected Areas list server
1.10. Massachusetts aquaculture system (MORIS)
1.11. Fishermen and Scientist Research Society (FSRS) (http://www.fsrs.ns.ca/index_files/slide0001.htm)
1.11.1. Hook Line and Thinker newsletter (http://www.fsrs.ns.ca/FSRSWeb/HLT.html)
1.12. National Ocean and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA)
1.12.1. Distributed Oceanographic Data System (http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/dods/)
1.13. GeoConnections Ocean Discovery Portal of metadata (http://ceonet.gc.ca/cs/en/index.html)
1.14. College of Geographic Sciences (COGS) (http://www.cogs.ns.ca/)
1.15. MIT Sea Grant Adopt-a-Boat (http://www.adoptaboat.org)
1.16. Other.
2.1. FGDC/Geoconnections framework development
2.2. National Virtual Ocean Observing System
2.3. Digital Library
3.1. Regional Association for Research in the Gulf of Maine (RARGOM) (http://www-nml.dartmouth.edu/rargom/)
3.2. Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (GoMC) (www.gulfofmaine.org)
3.2.1. Imformation Management
3.2.1.1. On line database of community/volunteer groups
3.2.2. Outreach Committee
3.2.2.1. Gulf of Maine Times
3.3. Gulf of Maine Marine Educators Association (GoMEA)
3.3.1. Users survey
3.4. Bay of Fundy Ecosystem Partnership (BOFEP) (http://www.auracom.com/~bofep/bofep.htm)
3.4.1. Survey of volunteer groups
3.5. Atlantic Coastal Zone Information Steering Committee (ACZISC) (http://www.dal.ca/aczisc/)
3.5.1. Data directory/metadata
3.5.2. High resolution mapping in Annapolis Basin
4.1. Bay of Fundy Marine Resource Centre (http://www.bfmrc.ns.ca/)
4.2. Cobscook Bay Resource Centre (http://www.cobscook.org/index.html)
4.3. St. Francis Xavier University Centre for Community Based Management
4.4. ACAP Saint John (http://user.fundy.net/acapsj/)
4.5. CARP (http://fox.nstn.ca/~carp/)
4.6. The Salt Water Network
4.7. Fundy Forum (http://www.fundyforum.com/)
4.7.1. Timed discussions
5.1. New England Estuarine Research Society, Bar Harbour, May 9-11th, 2002 (http://neers.org/)
5.2. Gulf of Maine Working Group – April 8-9th, Halifax, N.S.
5.3. Out of the Fog III, Fall 2002 - USA – Portland???
Constituting Documentation
(Development of this document was begun in response to a request from
participants at the Out of the Fog II conference in November 2000. It is under
active discussion and development. Paragraphs not otherwise identified, have
been prepared as a basis for discussion by Paul Boudreau, Chief Info-Nag. The
objective of this exercise is to present a well-reviewed document to the Out of
the Fog III meeting in the fall of 2002 for final discussion and approval.
Comments should be sent to
boudreaupr@mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca.)
Vision:
To promote effective exchange of available environmental information to maximize
the social, cultural and economic benefits to coastal communities of the Gulf of
Maine. (approved November 2000)
GOMINFOEX seeks to benefit those who are interested in the welfare of the Gulf of Maine region through initiating and strengthening information sharing partnerships. While working toward this goal the Exchange seeks to establish processes and relations that are inclusive, trusted, neutral and nonpartisan in nature. GOMINFOEX recognizes but does not seek to reconcile the many different values, interests, approaches and goals of participating individuals and organizations. The Exchange does not authorize any particular organization or information source. Agreeing to participate in the GOMINFOEX process does not imply endorsement of any other partner's individual or organizational goals. (approved March 2001)
Principles:
As a group, GOMINFOEX will:
Promote a participatory exchange of environmental information
Welcome everyone willing to participate and contribute
Promote distributed actions in distributed geographic locations and by
appropriate individuals at the most local level
Identify and promote appropriate collaborations among participants.
Work to identify required efforts not being adequately addressed by other
initiatives
Attempt to devise innovative solutions and application of appropriate
technologies
Work to ensure economic sustainability, environmental integrity
Build capacity in information exchange through education and communication
Participants agree to:
Be Collaborative - success will result from combined efforts among
partners
Co-operative - partners working together towards common goals
Minimise duplication - financial and people resources must be used to their
maximum effect
Participants:
There are many ways to participate. Participants are all people who
ensure their up-to-date contact details are posted in the PeopleFinder (www.gulfofmaine.org);
who subscribe to the GOMINFOEX mailing list; who attend a meeting; who
participates in an on-line event, who identify themselves in the Participants
map, etc.
Concept:
A group of Gulf of Maine citizens to identify and promote effective information
exchange among all interested and affected citizens. This group will make use of
all available means to affect this exchange, including newspapers, libraries,
museums, meetings, etc. A particular interest of this group is to work
creatively with Internet web tools to achieve goals.
Conceptual Model 1: Registry of Exchanges - just as the registry of land deeds is a place and a process to document agreements on the exchange of land, GOMINFOEX will play the role of documenting exchanges, activities and process of exchange of environmental information. As with the registry of deed, GOMINFOEX will help minimise conflicts and promote collaboration.
Conceptual Model 2: Stock Exchange - just as the World's financial stock exchanges provide a framework and mechanism for the purchase and selling of stocks, GOMINFOEX will play a role as a central meeting place for people interested in acquiring and or making use of available environmental information. As the World's stock exchanges make use of appropriate technologies from phones, computers, internet, etc. and busy transactions occur around the World, GOMINFOEX will use appropriate technologies to allow exchanges to occur throughout the region using phones, face-to-face meetings, internet, e-mail, etc.
Conceptual Model 3: Waste Materials Market - where byproducts/waste products are redirected to productive processes. The analogy was drawn with the common practice of generating scientific reports, project reports, map products, etc. that neither fully use data/information nor adequately secure it for future use or use to address other needs. GOMINFOEX might act as a broker to “recycle” information from one product stream to another, or as a collector of “intermediate” information products for use by others. It may support a “place” where information can be placed when no longer needed for its primary purpose and were others can look for material useful for their needs. In any case, technologies will have to be applied to efficiently manage the incoming information stream so that minimal burden is placed on the “supplier” and to efficiently realise benefits through its presentation to the “next user”. (suggested and discussed June 2001)
Practice:
It is recognised that although the Internet tools provide great potential to
support the actions of GOMINFOEX, those tools are neither sufficient nor
adequate. They are not sufficient in terms of the requirement for people to meet
face-to-face to present, talk, discuss and agree. They are not adequate in terms
of the limits on some citizen's Internet access and limited time, commitment,
training and funding to ensure equal participation through the available tools.
This group will strive for a proper balance between all of the available
communications tools.
The different types of decisions requiring GOMINFOEX attention will determine the balance.
Out of the Fog Conference:
For significant organisational decisions, such as the change in this
document, the name and the Terms of Reference, decisions will be made at the
bi-annual Out of the Fog Conferences of all interested participants.
On-Line Input and GOMINFOEX Meeting
To define such organisational decisions, and for decisions on the setting of the
priorities, selection of focused GOMINFOEX commitments of people or resources,
decisions will be made using a two step process. This process will be carried
out at least once in every quarter. The first step will be the posting of a
resolution to the website. Resolutions include adding a project to the action
list, convening meetings and minor modification of this document. All
participants are free to submit resolutions to the CIN (chief info-nag) for
posting at any time. Posting will be for no less than 30 days accompanied by a
e-mail to the GOMINFOEX mailing group announcing the posting and advising
participants to provide their input on-line.
At any point, the CIN (chief info-nag) will accept comments by any and all other means of communication.
The second step of the process will be an open discussion by all interested participants at a meeting to be held no less than 7 days after the final day of posting, nor more than 30 days after the final day of posting. The date, place and time of the meeting will be posted no later than of the beginning of the posting period. Participants in attendance will select a chair for the meeting, make decisions and plans for action by developing a consensus as much as possible.
For issues where 10% of the participants, as registered on the day of posting, have provided input and there are not dissenting opinions, the attendees at the meeting will, without significant consensus and agreed counter views, accept the resolution.
For resolutions with 10% response from participants that includes dissenting or questioning opinions, the participants will discuss and make a decision on appropriate action.
For resolutions with less than 10% input, the participants will attempt to determine the level of interest and possible steps to solicit additional input or to remove the resolution from additional consideration.
All decisions for the meeting will be posted to the web no less that 7 days after the close of the meeting. Dissenting opinions will be posted. The CIN will accept and decide on any significant challenges to the meetings outcome for a period of 7 days following the posting of the results. Upon the decision of the CIN, all attendees may be contacted to consider challenges and revise decisions. Revisions will require approval by all attendees. The final arbitration on any and all challenges will take place at the bi-annual Out of the Fog Conference.
Not yet developed
Under and within the GOMINFOEX principles, the Geodata Alliance principles (http://www.geoall.net/6p-principles.htm) are to be considered.