Marine and Coastal Communities
FOCUS: Current research at the nexus of marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and climate change, including fisheries, wildlife, coastal infrastructure, and aquaculture.
Climate change is a complex and cross-cutting challenge that has critical implications for Maine’s coastal communities and blue economy. Effective preparedness for hazards such as extreme weather, sea level rise, and ocean ecosystem change requires coordination across multiple sectors, including government, business, civil society, and academia. This coordination is essential to ensure that all parties work toward aligned goals and share resources, ideas, and information that lead to effective adaptation.
The Gulf of Maine ecosystem and Maine’s coastal and estuarine habitats also play an important role in addressing climate change, Maine’s carbon budget, and the ecological integrity of the state. Coastal communities and marine resource industries are leading important work to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and adapt to the hazards of climate change.
The Marine and Coastal Communities Sector of the Maine Climate Science Information Exchange strengthens collaboration and information sharing across this community of leaders and climate researchers to refine and accelerate solutions to marine and coastal climate challenges.
Broadening Collaboration in Blue Carbon Science: MCSIE’s Marine Specialist played a key role in developing the Maine Blue Carbon Science Network, which delivered blue carbon stock assessment and strategies for Maine’s emissions targets.
Aligning permitting & guidance for Nature-Based Solutions: MCSIE’s Marine Specialist has enabled the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to launch a new guidance, training, and certification program for nature-based solutions to shoreline erosion by providing staff capacity, conference funding, and research and development resources through the University.
Expediting access to community resources for preparedness: MCSIE’s Marine Specialist is now publishing a 2024 revision of the Maine Community Resilience workbook, the state’s primary comprehensive resource for municipal climate change preparedness.
To learn more about active research in this sector, or to share a research project of your own, please contact Parker Gasset at parker.gassett@maine.edu.
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