HIGHLIGHTS DOWNEAST FISHERIES PARTNERSHIP Community Foundation, Ellsworth Monday, November 17, 2014

Meeting Summary The primary meeting foci: 1. The January DFP workshop a. The focus will be on alewives, success stories, ongoing efforts and new opportunities for restoration; proposed model for DFP governance will be presented b. We discussed all that is going on with alewives and who could present on what topic 2. How to respond to the new Sewall Foundation initiative, Healthy People Healthy Places a. This could be a way of doing developmental evaluation and measuring impact b. We know that many people will be applying for these funds i. We could all go in on a big proposal; this is an opportunity to explore how to coordinate ii. partnership governance in place yet 3. DFP Governance Model a. DiscussedDon’t the have model our that we have developed.

Meeting Highlights Participating: Carrie Byron, University of New England; Alan Furth, Cobscook Community Learning Center; John Hagan, Manomet; Anne Hayden, DFP/Manomet; Scott Planting, Maine Sea Coast Mission; Dwayne Shaw, Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF); Paige Wiechman, intern with DFP and DSF; with Ron Beard and Deb Burwell facilitating and taking notes

A. Check ins and Updates Dwayne Shaw . DSF hosted a road trip organized by the Environmental Funders Network (EFN) for funders to learn about fisheries and agriculture in eastern Maine; DSF, MCHT, PERC and Schoodic Riverkeepers made presentations about fisheries o EFN has made an initial seed investment . The project is for Washington County Council of Governments, Sunrise County Economic Council and Downeast Salmon Federation (DSF) to look at land use practices on the East Machias and Orange rivers . Also to convene people who might have an interest in the two rivers o EFN may or may not be able to help DFP address priorities

1 o EFN is a network of funders that is looking for something to sink their teeth into . Dwayne provided a snapshot of fisheries to Slow Money Maine and MCF staff joining in . Dwayne is also working on the , which is a controlled river in Ellsworth . Dam is up for relicensing; built in 1907, it is one of the tallest dams in

. DSF has just documented that fish are being chewed up at the dam Newo EnglandThe DSF (65’) Board made the decision to go public with the fish kills identified at the hydroelectric dam o Thus, DSF is about to open a public forum in the Ellsworth American around the fish kills . What is not known is how this will impact the outcome of the dam relicensing o Fisheries have not been factored into how the dams have been managed o This is a complex issue, complicated by the fact that people have built around this infrastructure . This dam was first built to supply power to MDI; thus, it will be interesting to see if MDI residents get engaged in this now . DFP part of this issue: o DFP received funding from Broad Reach to do an economic ’s analysis of removing the dam o Anne talked with Ted Ames and Ta Herrera from Bowdoin and learned that there is an upper level to how many alewives a lake can support o Ta is also working on a collaborative project on the on the economic impact on the groundfish industry . The dam licensing process is a five-year process and we are about a third of the way through it . DSF in general focuses on migratory fish, riverine fisheries and anadromous fish o New DSF tag line is

o DSF recently expanded: “DSF into protecting Hancock water, County wildlife and is nowand accessinvolved withsince additional 1982” species o Advocating for better management of the inland waters and fish; also maintain two hatcheries on two rivers o Doing strategic planning and looking at the needed organizational capacity to do the work; getting ready to hire an associate director . Smelt hearing tomorrow night with DMR at Ellsworth City Hall; there is an emergency in the industry . New coalition Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition, based in Massachusetts, focused from the St. Croix River to Long Island Sound; has a long history around high-end– recreational fishing of brook trout

2 . DSF is also involved on the Orange River o Did a culvert survey with DFP and MCHT

John Hagan . John is part of an experiment in Georgetown which entails planting seed clams under nets with a local shellfish harvester o Had fourth grade class put in their own seed clams with nets o Their parents were there and it was a powerful experience parents and their children together could see shellfishing as a profitable career on the Maine coast . This provided John with insights around diversity and intergenerational fundraising . John is doing observational studies of Green Crabs in his basement in conjunction with the above experiential research project

Paige Wiechman . Recent grad from UMM with a degree in Environmental Studies; interning one day a week with DFP on communications, updating the web site and working on a newsletter; also working with DSF

Carrie Byron . Research Assistant Professor with UNE and prior to that worked at GMRI and did doctorate work with Barry Costa Pierce at URI with a focus on ecological carrying capacity for shellfish aquaculture which was integrated with industry and environmental groups and academics in RI to understand the food web and ecology around oysters . The research entailed going back and forth between the scientists and the community and building a food web model as a tool to calculate food capacity . Community had asked for this model, so they were involved and by end of process, they understood the outcomes . Many questions emerged around social capacity given all the other uses of the coastal communities . Carrie has an NSF research grant to build on that– work to integrate the social piece; she is collaborating with an economist and a social scientist . Also looking at values that are underlying decision making . In addition to her work in RI, she also wants to apply this framework to Cobscook Bay to show that it is transferrable across regions . At stage of familiarizing herself with Cobscook Bay area o Also wants to know the local knowledge to share information and concerns o Integrated modeling system . In future wants to integrate climate change and other shifts o Also has done migration modeling work with salmon at GMRI to understand what oceanographic conditions influence salmon migration from the to the coast off Halifax

3 . Found that current primarily influences migration strong coastal currents . Carrie will send copies of her papers to help us understand the framework–

Alan Furth . CCLC has a high school program that operates daily; this year they are focusing on marine science o This is in the context of CCLC, an organization grounded and focused on broad social ecology . As part of this in 2001 the CCLC committed to doing work in the marine economy to create a new generation of employment and options doing for 14 years . Recent work: opened Heartwood Lodge, a residential facility 53– beds DFP will tour it when we meet at the CCLC in December o This identifies the CCLC as a convening hub to offer focused,– – facilitated inquiry o Plan to leverage this and the focus on marine economy

Scott Planting . Thinking about Tony Cipollone, President and CEO of the Gorman Foundation as a potential funder for DFP o They fund initiatives that stress metrics and evaluation measurement focused on how the folks you are working with are being impacted o They want the efforts they fund to focus on moving an indicator that shows progress o Additionally, they like simple answers to complex problems; and they fund partnerships . Sounds like it may work fordon’t a group like this

Ron Beard and Deb Burwell . Helping facilitate the partnership and orient to the region based on other work they do

B. DFP update: January workshop, communications, food systems January workshop o Why having this workshop: decided to have two DFP workshops a year to get people together to build on relationships as so much of our work has to be done without face time o This workshop will use the governance model as a starting point and then work on a substantive issue alewives - as DFP has a focus on the Union River . es on bringing back alewives . Have a great research– project with WHOI impact of nutrients as they go throughTed Ames’ the work food focus chain o What is the best way of sharing information about– alewives? . 1-2 short keynotes to ground people . Round table for people to share what they know

4 . Have one of the Schoodic River Keepers share their work . Provide a snapshot of every river system that we know anything about where they stand  Having the state involved will be important Claire and Oliver –  anything about (the , for one) –  ThereTora will will be be involved question with marks GIS, about so we places can go we river don’t by know river, watershed by watershed, naming who is involved currently, including anecdotal info  Classify rivers into three groups o Totally broken o Difficult to deal with o Where we need research . What want to come out of this workshop with?  Priority actions based on the data  Consensus around those actions  Use a triage approach o Remind ourselves that this is an emergency and How should we structure the workshop if we characterize this as an emergency? we don’t have time. . Call in the Red Cross how do you do it in this context? . The urgency:  Orange River – has been stuck with dam for 50 years  Union River - about to be stuck with the dam for another 30 years– o Put a flame under these issues . We have enough active players involved who may or may not understand what turned the tide the transformation of the St. Croix . Is there a common understanding– of what led to this transformation?  Inventory of where things stand  Why is it an emergency?  Why do we get distracted?  How do we define what the right work is?   The common resource is central and we are all responsible to fix it Howo doConsider we create other a “we”? players including fossil fuel and green energy  Use alewives as a theme . How talk about alewives and focus on them in region . Assessment: what we know  Hope to come out of the day with clear marching orders . Understand how alewives fit into the DE ecosystem . What are the competing pressures and interests and how have they played out? Use case studies on the St. Croix and other places

5 . End the day with concrete things that need to be done . A lot of the projects are local o Take ideas away that will impact how people do their work o Open the listening opportunities to take stock of the different urgencies and open doors for collective prioritization across cultures and across disciplines o Where are we river by river in this region – . Not go into history, but focus on current state . Crisis on the St. Croix the fishways are not big enough and this could be addressed o Focus on each river, give some background– and local efforts will take ideas away o Alert people to obstacles to fish passage o Competing interests will be way to focus on each river o What is known will need to be synthesized o Pick a few rivers . St. Croix . Orange River . . Flanders Stream . Jones’Patten Pond Stream . Union River o Who could frame this with some context so that people have some background?  Dwayne with Claire and Oliver could do that together with some GIS help from Tora  Lay out situation in some river systems, some obvious next steps o Spin off groups that will deal with it o Focus on alewives . Schoodic Riverkeepers invited in to inform and guide part of the day . Alan can invite them to join us on December 15 need to have some design of the meeting . ACTIONS: – o Anne will send a save the date as soon as she has a confirmation on the space o Anne will draft a workshop agenda which will consist of: . DFP: who we are . Quick overview of Governance . Focus on alewives as way to understand Governance  Dwayne will work with state staff on what we know  Alan follow up with Schoodic Riverkeepers to figure out best way to engage so they can present what they know around the St. Croix system o So much going on in alewives, that is a success story . How like to see that?  Conversation? Group discussion?  Chris Bartlett talking about his work

6  Tribe talking about the St. Croix

Communications o Paige has worked with Mail Chimp and plans to send out a newsletter o Will add Governance model to the web site in addition to articles on the Constellation Model o Link to mail list

Food systems o Will talk about this in December

C. Integrating environmental and social goals . Sewall Foundation is just rolling out new initiative, which addresses both social and environmental issues - Healthy People Healthy Places Initiative o Other funders are interested in this integrated focus as well o Impact is a learning partnership between Sewall and fundees . We are in a position to be part of this o If we are trying to address community well-bring in DE Maine, this is an opportunity to have some input into the conversation of what should be included in assessing this o DFP has received sizable grants from Sewall in the last two years . Proposal is due on January 15; o We could submit another proposal, perhaps one working with Scott and Maine Sea Coast Missionwe re: won’t how tohave provide our governance some fisheries in order content by thento the EdGE Program; present as a community engagement initiative, start with generational knowledge of what it means to make a living from the river and coastal environment . One of the things that we feel strongly about is anyone who wants to use any of the DFP information or concepts that are in the Developing a Collective Vision document is welcome to.

. Thoughts about the Sewall Initiative: o Story line about developmental evaluation and measuring impact o We have an opportunity as a partnership to look at how we evaluate the engagement piece o Need to look at all connected with DFP who are applying to Sewall . All need to be well-coordinated and understood . ID who are the collaborating partners for a funding source o Sewall is trying to connect with national foundations to bring more focus to Maine o We may want to ask for their help with this . There is a vision document for DFP and there are options which may be extremes of how we could go about this: o We could say that everyone refers to the vision document, but goes in on their own, naming what part of the vision they are doing

7 o Another extreme is for everyone to go in on one big proposal through DFP o The other extreme is to not go through DFP at all; all submit independently. o We have to do something that coordinates all this work . This creates an opportunity for coordination . We will probably have this evolve over the lifetime of DFP o Now we are somewhere in the middle . The CCLC is working on a Sewall proposal, but it is not fisheries focused

D. DFP Governance: Brief review of proposed decision-making model . Are we creating governance models that enable people to be involved? o to take part in the partnership . Is the formulaPartly, thisright? is a capacity issue that organizations don’t have the capacity o Are we designing the model so that those who do show up have a clear idea of their role? o The model accommodates both types of involvement those who show up and those who cannot . We want people to put their energy into the projects that will– achieve the mission o Not everyone has the energy to come to this meeting every month, so that is why there is a Stewardship Committee for those who do and want to serve in that way o Attendance at the monthly meetings is not the most important indicator of the health of the organization . We may need to change from monthly meetings to quarterly meetings o Think through how we communicate and when and where we come together o Describe how a person can take part . The challenge is figuring out how 30 40 people can plug in, knowing not all are going to come to the table at the same time . It is going to evolve – o Always ask if we are providing value to our partners o Original partners thought about this o In May we tested out ideas with a larger group o o That is what we are doing in January plus talking about alewives o SeeSaid if that there we’d is any come traction back to in them January with a governance model o Share different ways that people might be engaged . Implementation of the Governance Model o Look at the logistics of meeting what will make this something that most people can engage in o Perhaps using technology to find– the sweet spot o Thirst for information is great

8 o Question about the people we are trying to impact, are they part of the discussion? Local participation? o Also aware that the funding opportunities in Washington County are very many of the issues we are dealing with limited,. There but funders are many don’t local understand efforts, but not a lot of coordination between them . Stewardship Committee members can link to projects to possibly connect them so that they can apply for grants . Are meetings the primary way to build cohesion? o These meetings now are the precursor of the Governance Group/Stewardship Committee o And it may be the group that provides the forum for specific issues to be discussed, such as alewives o We may find out that no one wants to be part of the Stewardship Committee . What is a minimum number for the Stewardship Committee? o Much of this will become clearer after the January workshop o Some will be decided by whomever chooses to be on the Stewardship Committee

E. Evaluation of this meeting / Plan for next meeting What worked well? . Glad that Carrie traveled up and was here . Loved hearing what she is doing; she is an important voice at the table . -target, which makes it a worthwhile day . People’sPossible carparticipation pooling from is skilled, the south thoughtful, focused and on . Clear that people are comfortable with each other and open to conversation about challenging topics . Appreciate opportunity to be here . Carrie: Having opportunities to understand what is going on in the state is important to me o Important that my research has tangible outcomes to community and industry o Love to continue to be part of the conversation in whatever way makes sense . Carrying capacity research is very interesting and think that others will be interested

What would we change to improve? . Nothing noted

What should be on the agenda for next month’s meeting? . Prepare for January full day workshop . Tour of CCLC and connection between DFP and CCLC

9 . Sewall grant progress . . Tribe talk about what is happening re: what fisheries vision is (Alan will Robin’sconnect updatewith Fred postponed or Vera) from October –

Notes prepared by Deb Burwell

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