Volume 5, No. 3

Promoting Cooperation to Maintain and Enhance
Environmental Quality in the Gulf of Maine

• Fundy Forum Archives
• Wetlands "no net loss" goal not met says report
• The Cape Cod Fishermen 2002 Calendar
• Bill to improve Magnuson-Stevens Act
• Guide to septic systems
• Environmental education courses
• Check out your ozone
• Maps of the Gulf of Maine available

Fundy Forum Archives

Salt marshes in the Bay of Fundy, marine protected areas and oil spill response strategies are among the topics covered in Fundy Forum's online discussion series. All virtual "discussions" are archived along with excellent background material on the specific topic and pertinent links. The panelists come from various backgrounds, both government and nongovernment, each having a different involvement with the current issue. Following their opening remarks, participants can respond or answer key questions posted by forum organizers. To find out about current or upcoming online forums or to access information from the archives go to: www.fundyforum.com/tdcurrenttopic.html.

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Wetlands "no net loss" goal not met says report

Some programs in the U.S. allow developers to build on wetlands in exchange for restoring or creating them nearby. Compensating for Wetland Losses Under the Clean Water Act, a new report by the National Research Council, says that these programs should be improved to meet the goal of "no net loss" in wetlands area or ecosystem function.

The panel, convened by the National Academy of Sciences, found that in many cases the construction of substitute wetlands was often delayed or never finished. When finished, projects often failed to meet standards set for them and that even when the final result satisfied regulations, the artificial wetlands did not duplicate the ecological functions of the natural wetlands that were destroyed. The report is available at www.nationalacademies.org/topnews/#0626.

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The Cape Cod Fishermen 2002 Calendar

A calendar produced by the Nereid Network, a Cape Cod women's marine alliance, features elegant black and white photographs of fishermen relaxing in their natural environment. The network is a small volunteer women's nonprofit organization dedicated to creating bridges between different segments of the fishing industry, research, management and the community at large. The purpose of the calendar is to help fund scholarships for fishermen's children, as well as create a directory of resources for fishermen using Cape Cod ports. To obtain a copy of the calendar go to the Nereid's Web site: www.nereidnetwork.org.

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Bill to improve Magnuson-Stevens Act

Representative Sam Farr, a democrat from California, has introduced the "Fisheries Recovery Act of 2001" (H.R. 2570) to reauthorize and improve the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1996. The Farr bill would close loopholes in the current law, favor stronger protections for fish habitat and help reduce bycatch. The act would change fish management laws and policies to reform the regional Fishery Management Councils, better conserve Atlantic Highly Migratory Species, establish cooperative research programs between fishermen and scientists, help eliminate overfishing and fund the development and introduction of less damaging fishing gear and practices. In support of Farr's legislation, the Marine Fish Conservation Network, a nationwide coalition of environmental organizations, commercial fishing associations and scientific groups, recently released an analysis showing 31 U.S.-managed commercially fished species to be at risk of extinction. A summary of the report and complete text of the Farr bill and related documents are at: www.conservefish.org.

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Guide to septic systems

The Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour publishes a guide called Before You Construct an On-site Sewage System, designed for homeowners to answer specific questions about system approval, construction, maintenance and regulations. To obtain a copy, phone the agency's Central Regional office at (902) 424-7773.

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Environmental education courses

The Orion Grassroots Network Professional Training Package is a collection of short courses providing hands-on training in aquatic/fisheries, habitat/wildlife, conservation biology, Geographic Information Systems and other fields applying to grassroots environmental education, conservation and restoration. Designed for educators, restoration ecologists, urban planners or wildlife advocates the courses are taught by professionals from the National Conservation Training Center, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Park Service, the Urban Land Institute and other organizations with support and assistance from the Education Foundation of America and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The courses are held mostly at locations along the U.S. East Coast. For a catalog contact the Orion Society, www.orionsociety.org.

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Check out your ozone

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has developed a Web site called AIRNow (www.airnow.gov) to provide the public with easy access to air quality information. The site offers real-time ozone air quality maps covering 100 U.S. cities and parts of Canada including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. During the ozone season (May through September for most areas), these maps are updated daily every two hours. The maps are color coded to illustrate the intensity of ozone in a particular area. "Air pollution can be wide-ranging as well as persistent," an introduction to the maps reads. "These air pollutants can also be carried hundreds of miles by winds and can thus affect areas far-removed from the source of the pollution."

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Maps of the Gulf of Maine available

Undersea Landscapes of the Gulf of Maine is an award-winning map and poster that focuses on the landscapes, geology and biology of the Gulf of Maine. Robert Steneck of the University of Maine School of Marine Sciences and Joseph Kelley of the Maine Geological Survey developed the poster's concept and text. Paul Dest, formerly of the Maine Coastal Program/State Planning Office coordinated the project. An 18" X 24" three-color map of the Gulf of Maine watershed (featured on page 12 of the Gulf of Maine Times) is also available. For copies of the maps, please call Andy Cameron, Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, (902) 424-0406; Mary Power, New Hampshire Coastal Program, (603) 431-9366; Lorraine Lessard, Maine Coastal Program/State Planning Office, (207) 287-1486; or the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management's Information Line, (617) 626-1212.

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