U.S.-Canadian cooperation to sustain the integrity of the Gulf

The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment is a U.S.-Canadian partnership of government and non-government organizations working to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations. We organize conferences and workshops; offer grants and recognition awards; conduct environmental monitoring; provide science translation to management; raise public awareness about the Gulf; and connect people, organizations, and information.

• A mission statement and principles guide the Council’s activities.
• The governors and premiers of the five Gulf jurisdictions – Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia – created the Council in 1989 as a regional forum to exchange information and engage in long-term planning. List of member agencies
• The Councilors are leaders of state, provincial, and federal agencies; non-government organizations; and the private sector.
• In addition to the Councilors, numerous people from government agencies and NGOs participate in the Council’s Committees.
• The Working Group, which guides the Committees, meets quarterly in one of the five jurisdictions, and the Council itself meets biannually.
• With no central office, the Council is administered through an annual Secretariat that rotates among the jurisdictions. Several contractors, located around the region, work with the Council.
• The Council is administered through the Gulf of Maine Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the Canadian Gulf of Maine Association.
• The Council’s Action Plan describes the goals, outcomes, and activities that the Council will pursue through its committees and partnerships in this five-year period.
• Some of the Council’s projects include grants and award programs, the Gulfwatch monitoring program, the Gulf of Maine Times, and science translation to management.
• Contact us to learn more, provide feedback, or find out how to participate.