The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is organizing two Marine Resource Education Program (MREP) workshops in the Greater Atlantic Region in early 2020:
1. MREP Fisheries Science Workshop – February 25-27, 2020, Woods Hole, MA
2. MREP Fisheries Management Workshop – March 24-26, 2020, Hanover, MD
BACKGROUND: MREP Greater Atlantic was created by fishermen, for fishermen. It provides an inside look at the fisheries science and management processes, demystifies the acronyms and vocabulary, and equips fishermen with the tools to engage in shaping regulatory action and participating in collaborative science. In a neutral setting, fishermen work through the ‘how and why’ of the whole process, meet the people behind agency jobs, and share important feedback from the fishing community.
The program is offered as a series of workshops that build upon each other: a three-day Fishery Science Workshop, followed by a three-day Fishery Management Workshop. Presenters are drawn from the NMFS Regional Office and Science Center, the Fishery Management Councils, research institutions, and the fishing community. Workshops are designed and held as a collaborative effort, with members of the community moderating the meeting and assisting fellow fishermen to articulate issues, keeping the discussion real.
Participants leave the workshops with better understanding of how, when and where to engage effectively in fishery management.