Established since 1989, The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (GOMC) has produced over 300 publications (MacDonald, Cordes, & Wells, 2007), much of which is grey literature. As an intergovernmental (bilateral) organization working at both the state/provincial and federal levels of Canada and the United States, GOMC is well positioned to disseminate information regarding the Gulf to decision makers on both sides of the border to protect the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy ecosystem.
The EIUI research initiative has concluded a study in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) that assessed the initial use and influence of The State of the Gulf of Maine Report. In June 2010, the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (GOMC) released The State of the Gulf of Maine Report in a modular format composed of a context paper and five theme papers based on priority areas identified by the Council. The papers are available for download on the GOMC Web site (www.gulfofmaine.org).
In April and May 2011, the Environmental Information: Use and Influence research team surveyed the Council and the Working Group members of the GOMC and the readers of the Gulf of Maine Times, to determine the level of awareness, use and influence of the theme papers. Respondents considered the overall value of the theme papers is as a source of baseline information for public education to increase public awareness of the key threats to the region, and as a starting point to inform policy making and discussion on the environmental management of the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy. Respondents however recommended the need to focus greater efforts on wider distribution of the Report to increase education and awareness and to make more use of the media.
The State of the Gulf of Maine Report: An Initial Study on Awareness, Use, and Influence of the Theme Papers
The report is available for download: The State of the Gulf of Maine Report: An Initial Study on Awareness Use and Influence of the Theme Papers.