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Subject:	comments on GOM MPA initiative
Author:	George Lapointe
Date:	02/13/2001 1:13 PM

David - I have looked over the Gulf of Maine MPA initiative which 
you mentioned last week and think that this is not a good initiative 
for Maine.

It looks like funding and the GOMC MPA initiative are driving 
Maine's policy.

I am certain that proposing an MPA "strawman" list will hamper 
agency's abilities to implement the many policy initiatives that we have 
underway.

For example, DMR continues work with lobstermen at the local, 
zone, state, regional, and national levels. Fishermen have so many different 
policy issues coming at them that they are near the end of their ability 
to handle change. MPAs are seen as one more effort by the feds to control
Maine fishermen. Proposing MPAs that affect Maine without much outreach 
and education will appear that we are "caving" to the federal 
government and conservation groups and we may lose what cooperation we now have. 

And the "we" here will be me, the Administration, and the Governor. This 
would not be good for anyone.

It seems to me that we need to:

1) Determine what the State of Maine's ideas and policies are regarding MPAs.
 The Natural Resources Subcabinet is the logical and appropriate place for 
this discussion. Without this discussion, external interests in MPA's and 
available funding will put Maine in the position of reacting in a manner that
does not help the state in the long term. I have asked Lee Perry to put this
issue on the next Natural Resources Subcabinet agenda for discussion.

2) I understand that Jerry Schubel doesn't want a workshop but it seems that
what is needed now is an education and outreach program about MPA's because 
there is much distrust and misinformation about the concept and implementation 
of MPAs

3) It seems as well that there are many MPA initiatives percolating right now
(federal, conservation groups, CLF, etc) and that another initiative may not 
be productive. We need to understand more about these efforts and their 
timelines before launching our own initiatives.

I understand that there is an MPA component in the State's CZM Sec. 309
grant. I will contact Kathleen to find out what that work unit entails but it seems
that an internal, well planned process will serve Maine better than a big initiative 
prior to the development of a state policy.