One of our goals over the past 6 months has been to reach out to additional Frenchman Bay stakeholders and help them become well-informed and feel that their voices have been heard in the Frenchman Bay planning process. To this end we have hosted two group focus sessions and have initiated interviews with individual stakeholders.
Frenchman Bay Partners is working with graduate students from the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at University of Maine to conduct focus sessions and interviews with particular stakeholder groups, including shellfish harvesting communities, as a prelude to our first formal bay planning retreat. Information gathered from these groups will help to inform the bay planning process. Focus group outcomes and drafts of the Frenchman Bay Plan will soon be available at www.frenchmanbaypartners.org.
Focus Session 1: Municipal Committee Members and Harbormasters: September 12th, 2011
Summary: In attendance at the first focus session was a harbor master, a member of the Bar Harbor Marine Resources Committee, and four members of the Bar Harbor Conservation Commission. Participants in this focus session spoke less about habitats and species as conservation targets and focused on the overall ecosystem, largely referencing the upland areas and the impacts of land use on the bay. One member of the focus session identified a goal of wanting to see commercial fish species in the bay again. After that there was a lot of conversation about bringing fishing back. There was also mention of improving water quality in the bay but again, largely by improving use of uplands through land ordinances and education. They would like to see specific actions come out of the Frenchman Bay planning retreat in October but did not have particular suggestions.
Focus Session 2: Frenchman Bay Regional Shellfish Committee: September 22nd, 2011
Summary: In attendance at the second focus session were five individuals associated with the Frenchman Bay Regional Shellfish Committee. This focus session focused largely on the degradation of the intertidal zone and water quality issues. They feel the mud flats are being over worked due to dragging and worm digging and there is not enough regulation of this area. They also identified green crabs as an invasive species that is largely impacting the mudflats. They would like to see strict regulations for point source pollution such as failing septic systems and dog fecal matter. They would like to see more communication among users of the intertidal area, perhaps by having some social event for all of them to get together. The group would like the Frenchman Bay Partnership to work on improving water quality and reducing effluent in the water, have a funding program for those who can’t afford septic replacements, and help pressure municipalities to enforce existing regulations.
Seafood Dealer Interviews
Seafood dealers were identified by stakeholders as a good source of information about the state of marine resources in the bay. One interview has been conducted to date and more are being planned.
Another goal of the Frenchman Bay Partners is to open communication between stakeholders from around the bay. We have created a new website to disseminate information about efforts to protect the entire Frenchman Bay. Our new website can be found at www.frenchmanbaypartners.org. Posters depicting a working bay and an invitation to participate in efforts to understand and protect the bay are being prepared for dissemination to the 13 towns in the Frenchman Bay watershed.
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