Allen, John
Bull, Arthur
Butler, Michael
Cameron, Andrew
Curran, Albert
Daborn, Graham
Eichbaum, William
Ferretti, Janine
Karau, John
Keeley, David
Milewski, Inka
Murphy, Michael
Nason, Bill
Pacheco, Percy
Ramirez-Flores, Oscar
Rutherford, Robert
Shelley, Peter
Smith, Jan
VanderZwaag, David

(See Attachment A: Contact List)

The meeting opened with welcoming remarks and a review of activities to date by Martha Rosas, Commission for Environmental Cooperation. A brief introduction of new members to the Committee followed. Colleen Mercer Clarke, Ad Hoc Committee Liaison, reviewed the draft Agenda and expected deliverables for the meeting (See Attachment B: Proposed Agenda).

A short discussion was held on the need to formalize a committee structure (e.g. Co-Chairs). The Committee decided not to elect committee chairs at this time but to defer this activity to later in the meeting agenda.

The Committee moved to establish a Chair for the meeting. Joe Arbour was nominated and accepted as Chair.

In consideration of the working protocols for Committee meetings, it was suggested that the Committee work on a relatively informal basis. The Committee decided to use a consensus approach, providing opportunities for alternate opinions to be expressed and for clarification and/or word-smithing of Committee decisions to take place. Decisions by the Committee will be reported in the Minutes of the meeting, which will be produced in draft and circulated for comments. Minutes of Committee meetings will be action minutes, reporting decisions and actions to be taken.

The Committee decided to adopt as its name the Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC).

It was proposed to maintain the Coalition size and context as it now exists. Representation by additional organizations will be achieved through their participation on Coalition Working Groups. Some discussion followed as to the need to provided timely two-way communication of Coalition activities and issues to others that are/may be affected.

It was proposed that the Coalition establish a committee on communications whose role would be to insure that information is provided via the right communications links.

A member expressed the concern that it was premature to deal with communications before the Coalition had developed its work plan. The Coalition decided to move further discussion of the Communications Task Group to a later time in the agenda of the workshop.

Martha Rosas presented a brief overview on the status and schedules of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation’s GPA Project Budget. The figures (Canadian $) provided included:

It is expected that in the fiscal year 1997, there will be approximately $100,000 in CEC funding available to finance GPAC activities in the Gulf of Maine. All dollars from the CEC 1997 budget must be allocated and contracted to GPAC by 31 December 1997, but do not have to be spent by that date. Funds from 1997 should be spent by the middle of 1998.

In 1998, the CEC proposes to match the 1997 budget for the GPAC Gulf of Maine if the GPAC has identified and allocated funds to specific project initiatives for that period.

Bill Borland provided a brief report on the Pollutants Working Group. Sean Brillant tabled a draft proposal for the workshop proposed for 1998. Two copies of the proposal were circulated for discussion. At this point in time, the workshop is envisioned as a three day meeting with sectoral presentations, and working breakout sessions to identify gaps, overlap and actions. Representatives of the community, science, government, and industry would be invited to participate. The draft budget as prepared represents a full cost accounting budget, with only the CEC identified as a sponsor. Meals are included in the costs of the event to maintain continuity throughout. The proposed date is 29 April – 01 May 1998.

The Coalition decided to table detailed discussion of the proposal until later in the agenda.

Henrietta List provided a brief overview of the Working Group on Habitats, as reported in the draft Action Plan. (See Attachment C: Draft Action Plan). Henrietta noted that although the Group had not decided on defined projects, a number of critical areas had been identified and would be moved forward during this meeting.

Martha Rosas made a short presentation on the Great Lakes Ecosystem Charter —as a possible activity for the Coalition to undertake in the Gulf of Maine. After some discussion, the Coalition decided that the Charter was a model it may wish to return to at a later date, but would not undertake at this time.

Following discussion on the merits of remaining together in one room for all discussion on the further development of the GPAC Action Plan, the Coalition agreed to separate into two smaller groups—Habitats and Pollutants—for one hour and then to return to a plenary session.

Janice Harvey presented a brief summary of the Working Group’s efforts to advance the proposed workshop(s) on pollutants in the Gulf of Maine. The model being developed would include hiring a contractor to develop a Scoping Document on pollutants for delivery in early 1998. The Scoping Document would address:

• Status of science
• Status of community issues
• Status of pollutants and impacts.
• A list of priority pollutants

The Scoping Document would be sent to a selected audience for comment. The first workshop would deal with the conclusions of the document, providing opportunities for additional information and alternate opinion. Through discussion and shared information the participants would develop a consensus on the priority areas (pollutants) that need to be dealt with and potential actions that exist to develop these areas.

The second workshop would be more solution oriented. The workshop would begin by examining those priority pollutants for which remedial actions have already been undertaken, and evaluate actual and potential progress. The Workshop would also deal with gaps in proposed remedial actions, priority issues not currently being addressed, and would propose new solutions/improvements.

The proposed time frame for Workshop One is March 98, with the second workshop coming later in 1998.

The Group also discussed the potential for a second Scoping Document to summarize the conclusions and the proposed actions of Workshop One to be used as the discussion document for Workshop Two.

Bill Ayer provided a summary of the Working Group’s discussion of the five areas identified at the July meeting and evolved somewhat as to the proposed initiative the Group will undertake.

Stream One revolves around the identification of important marine habitats in and around the Gulf of Maine and would include a role for communities in the identification and valuation of priority habitats and areas for protection. The Group determined that a review was needed of available mechanisms for habitat protection and for habitat management that could be applied practically to answering the following questions:

• What is protected?
• What is missing?
• What can we do?

This approach would foster integrated activities by all sectors in programs of education and training for the valuation and protection of habitat.

Stream Two will deal directly with issues related to physical alteration of habitat. There was considerable discussion on the protection of marine habitats which do not necessarily fall directly under the GPA, e.g. benthic habitats disturbed by fishing and/or dredging. The issues of protection of land based habitats—such as riparian areas—from habitat alteration, and or contribution of silt, metals, etc. was also raised.

Following the Plenary, members returned to the Working Groups to continue discussion on the Action Plans. The Groups adjourned for the day at six o’clock.

The Coalition decided that the proposed action plan as developed by the Working Group on Pollutants would be expanded to include habitat issues, and the combined program of action would become the 1998 GPAC Action Plan.

In full recognition of the valued work undertaken by other organizations in the Gulf of Maine, the Coalition decided to target GPAC resources and activities on the immediate need for the identification and reduction of specific priority pollutants, and on the conservation, protection and restoration of critical habitats in the Gulf of Maine regions. The Coalition established a framework for a five-stage Action Plan for 1998 that is intended to synthesize the state of existing knowledge; confirm sectoral and regional consensus on immediate priorities; action projects to respond to these priorities and provide support to existing and emerging partnerships. A BRIEF summation of the essential elements of the proposed Action Plan is provided below. It should be noted that many of the proposed actions advance priorities established by other organizations such as the Gulf of Maine Council. The Coalition will continue to expand on the Action Plan over the period of the next several months.

Stage One: The contracting of two Scoping Papers, one to deal with Pollutants in the Gulf and the second to deal with Habitats. The Scoping Papers would review and synthesize information on such topics as:

• the current state of environment in the Gulf,
• the level of knowledge,
• gaps in knowledge, and
• past and current activities and initiatives specific to environmental protection issues.

An executive summary proposing priority issues related to Pollutants and Habitats would be developed and circulated to a select list of some 100 persons. (NOTE: these persons would be invited to participate throughout the process and not only in this stage.)

Stage Two: These individuals would be invited to participate in the first of two workshops to set priority areas for action on pollutants and habitats (Saint John, New Brunswick, 29-30 April, 1998). At this Priority Setting Workshop participants would meet in plenary to discuss common issues related to point and non-point source pollutants, effect on habitats, habitat alteration and habitat protection. Smaller discrete working groups would address specific issues. Products of the Workshop would include a list of priority pollutants (and sources) and priority habitat issues for action in the Gulf of Maine.

Stage Three: A second set of Scoping Papers would consolidate the findings of the Workshop and would work to synthesize information on current programs and activities in place in the Gulf (as well as other models) that address the priority pollutants and habitat issues. The review would include an assessment on the performance of these programs, gaps in coverage and needed new actions. An executive summary of these papers would be circulated to the workshop participants.

Stage Four: The second Workshop on Planning for Action (fall 1998 in the Eastern United States) would assess the adequacy of current activities related to the priority lists on pollutants and habitats. Action plans would be formulated to address gaps, or to improve on existing measures.

Stage Five: During this follow-up and implementation stage, a process would be implemented to capture opportunities to solicit ‘buy-in’ to the Action Plans (as developed in the second workshop).

Although general consensus for the combining of the habitats and pollutants initiatives was achieved there were dissenting opinions that a loss of focus would develop if the workshops tried to cover too many topics. Some other points raised during the Coalition discussion on this item are included below:

• pollutants and habitats are two essential themes in a common thrust
• integration of habitat impacts and pollution prevention is important
• the information base on habitats in the region is skewed to certain habitat types
• focus on those issues for which action in the Gulf of Maine can achieve measurable results, i.e. do not spend resources on air borne pollutants from sources at a distance
• focus on the major pollutants as defined by science, and on those that need immediate attention and action
• ensure that filters intended to focus priority setting are not applied too early in the process
• recognize the need to move landward from the coast to address all issues related to land-based sources of pollution and marine and coastal habitat alteration
• ensure comprehensive coverage of activities being undertaken in the Gulf of Maine to minimize the potential for overlap with other programs and initiatives, while maximizing the opportunities for collaborative actions
• examine models in place in other areas for potential application to the Gulf region
• the proposed Scoping papers are two independent exercises (i.e. Habitat, Pollutants) with a common summary document.
• the workshops will be run at the same date and place, with separate and combined sessions, including a plenary session on priority setting
• two more separate scoping papers will be developed to document the findings of the first workshops in the areas of priority pollutants and priority habitats
• a second set of workshops following the model of the first set will define actions
• the final step in the GPAC process to date will be the identification and implementation of actions beyond the time frame and scope of the CEC project
• emphasize the real and potential benefits of early inclusion of environmental criteria in project development
• care must be taken to keep the workshops focussed if real deliverables are to be achieved

The Coalition formed a number of Task Groups to address the tasks at hand. These Task Groups essentially replace the Working Groups on Pollutants and Habitats, and become the implementation structure for the 1998 GPAC Action Plan.

Two Task Groups will direct the development of Terms of Reference, the identification and contracting of researchers and the technical review of Scoping Documents. These Task Groups will also develop the Technical Programs on Habitats and Pollutants for the proposed Workshops. The Terms of Reference for the Scoping Documents should be developed by the end of November.