Volume 9 Number 2 - Maine Policy Review - Margaret Chase Smith Center for Publicy Policy

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THE MARGARET CHASE SMITH ESSAY: "The Skeptics Agenda" and What Science Now Says about Global Warming by Robert Kates	htm	pdf
Forums
Fish or Foul? Will Aquaculture Carve Out a Niche in the Gulf of Maine Fish or Foul? Will Aquaculture Carve Out a Niche in the Gulf of Maine? Conkling traces the origins, evolution, and current prospects of Maine’s aquaculture industry. While near-term prospects for significant expansion of the industry appear bleak, Conkling suggests that a fresh generation of pioneers may be able to carve out a new niche, but only with a healthy dose of ‘old fashioned’ research and development con-ducted on the job, on the water, and in local communities along the coast.
by Philip W. Conkling	htm	pdf
The Maine Shore and the Army Corps: A Tale of Two Harbors, Wells and Saco, Maine By discussing the problems of beach erosion and sand movement at Wells and Saco, Kelley and Anderson demonstrate how single-minded, engineering approaches to complex, interdisciplinary coastal issues can create bigger problems than previously existed. In pointing out short-comings to remedial approaches thus far, they call for new action requiring federal, state, and local involvement; the alternative to new action—they argue—is to absorb the costs of letting nature run its course.
by Joseph T. Kelley and Walter A. Anderson	htm	pdf
The Opportunities and Threats of Coastal Development: An MPR Roundtable Discussion In May, nine discussants — each with a unique perspective on coastal development — convened to explore changes occurring on the Maine coast, whether those changes are consistent with what Maine people want, and what looming issues invite further debate and creative problem solving. All agreed that, with vision and careful planning, we still have an opportunity to shape the future of the Maine coast. However, the jury is out as to whose vision and whose planning will prevail.	htm	pdf
Evolution of the Maine Lobster Co-management Law In 1995, Maine implemented a new co-management system in the state’s lobster fishery. Under the new system, authority for managing fish stocks is shared between the industry and government agencies. While the new law has clearly been successful, a number of problems have come to the fore. The authors discuss these problems in turn, and conclude that the solutions to these problems place Maine at the fore-front of jurisdictions experimenting with new ways to manage fisheries.
by James M. Acheson, Terry Stockwell, and James A. Wilson	htm	pdf
Developing a Cooperative Research Agenda for Maine’s Commercial Fisheries This past year the Department of Marine Resources sponsored a unique series of meetings involving fishermen, academic and government scientists, and fishery managers. The goal was to define a shared research agenda for Maine’s marine fisheries. Alden and Mercer summarize the results of these meetings. In doing so they address the question: "What do we need to know to properly manage Maine’s major marine resources?"
by Robin Alden and Linda Mercer	htm	pdf
Best Practices in Endangered Species Recovery Planning: Lessons for the Conservation of Maine’s Atlantic Salmon The call for federal listing of Atlantic salmon implies that such action will result in a recovery plan for the species that is superior to the state’s Atlantic Salmon Conservation Plan. Here the authors compare the state’s plan against the findings of a recent review of Endangered Species Act recovery plans. They discuss the areas where Maine’s plan is strong and point out areas where there may be room for improvement.
by Raymond J. O’Connor, Ray (Bucky) Owen, and Judith Rhymer	htm	pdf
Promoting Cultural Tourism Cultural tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry, attracting visitors who tend to stay longer, spend more, and travel in the off-season. Yet, as Calhoun observes, the idea that Maine offers culture as well as scenery is still not part of the state’s self image. While recent efforts suggest a change is in the air, Calhoun urges regions to think creatively and comprehensively about their cultural resources, particularly in Washington County, where tourism is vital to a more prosperous economic future.
by Charles Calhoun	htm	pdf
Planning for Ecotourism on the Coast of Maine Ecotourism, or nature-related travel, is the fastest growing segment of the tourism industry. This is particularly good news for Maine, a state rich in scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities. Still, Springuel cautions, without good planning and good management, the impacts of ecotourism may harm the very resources that make it viable. Springuel highlights some key elements of good ecotourism planning and management and suggests it’s up to us to decide how much of a good thing is too much.
by Natalie Springuel	htm	pdf