Strategic Plan for Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative

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Strategic Plan for Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative

By Page Valentine
June 2004

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The Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GOMMI) released its strategic plan in May. GOMMI is a collaboration of government and nongovernmental partners in the United States and Canada that is endorsed by the Gulf of Maine Council for the Marine Environment. The formation of GOMMI was inspired by the recommendations of a workshop on Gulf of Maine Habitat Characterization and Mapping held in October 2001. The strategic plan outlines a framework for mapping priority areas of the Gulf of Maine sea floor and was assembled by Page Valentine (USGS), Brian Todd (Geological Survey of Canada), Tom Noji (U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service), and Susan Snow-Cotter (Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management), with the support of a peer-review panel of marine mapping scientists and managers.

The goal of GOMMI is to produce and make widely available sea-floor images, maps, and biological surveys that are fundamental for resource management, planning, and many commercial activities. This initiative is an excellent example of regional marine management as recommended in a recent report by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (available from the commission's Web site.) In addition to the strategic plan, GOMMI has conducted outreach efforts in the past year that have resulted in fact sheets on applications of sea-floor mapping and an article in NOAA's Coastal Services magazine.

The next step for GOMMI is to complete an assessment of mapping needs, to further refine the mapping approach, and to identify priority areas to be mapped. A needs-assessment survey will be conducted this summer. GOMMI is hosting a marine-habitat-mapping workshop to be sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in early October in Maine to share results of the survey and to discuss implementation of the strategic plan. The GOMMI strategic plan, fact sheets, and information on the needs assessment and workshop are posted on the GOMMI Web page.

U.S. and Canadian Scientists Map Georges Bank Geology and Habitats
August 2002

GIS Workshop on Gulf of Maine for Teachers
June 2002

Gulf of Maine Ocean Observing System (GOMOOS) Meeting
Dec. / Jan. 2001

Gulf of Maine Study
September 2000

Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative (GOMMI)
Gulf of Maine Council for the Marine Environment

U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy
U.S. Government

Coastal Services Magazine
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Gulf of Maine Information System
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

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June 2004

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in this issue:
cover story:
Benthic Habitats in Glacier Bay

North Carolina Submarine Groundwater

Mucus-Hosted Microbial Communities

Gulf of Maine Mapping Initiative

Forensic Geology Assists Investigation

Submarine Groundwater Discharge

USGS Participates in Marine Quest X

Caribbean Tsunami Hazard Workshop

USGS wins Blue Pencil, Gold Screen Awards

June Publications List