Resources

Gulf of Maine Library Collection

Habitat Sustainability Index Models for Casco and Sheepscot Bays, Maine. Strategic Environmental Assessments Division, Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Gulf of Maine Project, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. June 1997. 86 pp.

This report describes the development, interpretation and evaluation of habitat sustainability index models for the Casco and Sheepscot Bays. These models look specifically at alewife, American sand lance, Atlantic Salmon, Atlantic tomcod, common mummichog and winter flounder, as well as softshell clam and American lobster. From this investigation, twenty-one models were developed to aid in the identification of important habitat areas in Casco Bay and as a result, prioritize regions for possible protection. The report opens by describing the site characteristics of Casco Bay, as well as characteristics of the species to be studied. Next described are the methods used to test and evaluate the models. The final models are presented and interpreted through the use of a multitude of graphs, charts and maps. The report concludes with a discussion of the reliability of the models, including potential improvements and possible management implications.

Back to Library Index Page