The Role of the CMSP Committee

The role of the CMSP Committee

Successful CMSP requires compilation of regional data and information and the mapping of human uses and areas of ecological significance. Ecosystem impacts and implications span political boundaries and are a common concern for countries across those borders.  As both Canada and the US conduct bioregional planning, the Gulf of Maine Council’s unique organizational setup serves as a forum to share key information, knowledge, and data. This provides a unique opportunity for cross-border , to learn from mutual experiences with CMSP, to share scientific information, and to support collaborative projects aimed to fill knowledge gaps.

The mandate of the CMSP Committee is to:

  • Investigate and make recommendations on roles and activities of the Council in CMSP;
  • Track and exchange information on CMSP policies and activities on both sides of the border.


The Committee will maintain an open dialogue on CMSP initiatives across the border, seeking opportunities to learn from the experiences of other jurisdictions. It will share information and knowledge on best practices, tools and techniques, in addition to sharing information on human use patterns and ecological data. The Committee will report to the Council on progress and identify opportunities where the Council can contribute to advancing CMSP within the Gulf of Maine.

CMSP Events

The Gulf of Maine Council’s CMSP Committee hosted a forum on June 21, 2021 to discuss the current landscape of coastal and marine spatial planning in the Gulf of Maine and opportunities for continued Canadian / US collaboration. Presentations from the forum are available below:

The Gulf of Maine Council’s CMSP Committee hosted a webinar on May 16, 2017 to discuss activities in the Gulf of Maine region and identify opportunities for Canadian / US collaboration.  Presentations from the webinar are available below:

Committee Members

Priscilla Brooks
Conservation Law Foundation
617.350.0990 pbrooks@clf.org

Scott Coffen-Smout
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
902.402.8995 Scott.Coffen-Smout@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Arielle Demerchant
New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government
506.457.4850 Arielle.Demerchant@gnb.ca

Glen Herbert
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
902.802.7051 Glen.Herbert@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Owen Jones
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
St Andrews Biological Station
506.529.5724 Owen.Jones@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Dan Martin
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
240.676.4762 Dan.Martin@noaa.gov

Betsy Nicholson
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
617.869.9148 betsy.nicholson@noaa.gov

Matthew Nixon
Maine State Department of Marine Resources
207.624.6226 Matthew.E.Nixon@Maine.gov

Ann Rodney
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
617.918.1538 Rodney.Ann@epa.gov

Sarah Saunders
World Wildlife Fund Canada
902.482.1105 ssaunders@wwfcanada.org

Robert Stephenson
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
St Andrews Biological Station
506.529.5882 Robert.Stephenson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Theresa Torrent
Maine State Department of Marine Resources
207.287.2351 Theresa.Torrent@maine.gov

Prassede Vella
Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
617.626.1217 Prassede.Vella@state.ma.us

Bill Whitman
Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
902.532.8449 Bill.Whitman@novascotia.ca

Jack Wiggin
Urban Harbors Institute
617.287.5570 jack.wiggin@umb.edu