Who: Downeast Fisheries Partnership
What: Fisheries Education Workshop
Where: Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park in Winter Harbor
When: October 26th & 27th, 2015
The Downeast Fisheries Partnership (DFP) invites you to a workshop designed to strengthen the role of fisheries in educational programming in eastern Maine.
Our goal is to expand opportunities for students to learn about fisheries at every stage of the educational continuum, from kindergarten through community-based adult education programming. Working together, we can connect existing programs to this larger goal and assess opportunities for filling gaps.
DFP’s vision is that eastern Maine communities can and will sustain themselves forever by fishing. Engaging students of all ages in fisheries related learning is key to building the local stewardship and management skills required to restore as well as sustain marine and freshwater fisheries.
Existing fisheries educational programs include the Eastern Maine Skippers Program and the Marine Studies Pathway at Deer Isle-Stonington High School. Other programs are in the works: such as STEM Guides Downeast, an extracurricular program that will include marine resources and fisheries, and an upcoming year-long focus on alewives by Island Readers and Writers. Other hands on opportunities for students to learn about fisheries are offered by area nonprofits such as the Cobscook Community Learning Center, Downeast Salmon Federation and Downeast Institute. With a big picture view of existing programs and an opportunity to join the conversation, participants will be on the forefront of improving fisheries-related educational programming in eastern Maine.
Specific themes that will be covered include capturing the energy, knowledge and experience of undergraduates and recent graduates interested in interning in eastern Maine and input on an effort to incorporate fisheries into the Maine Sea Coast Mission’s youth development program.
Is there a topic you’d like to see covered? Do you have an idea for forwarding the goal of a comprehensive suite of fisheries-related educational offerings in eastern Maine? Please send any ideas you have to Sarah Madronal, Fisheries associate for Penobscot East Resource Center and Downeast Fisheries Partnership at sarah@penobscoteast.org / 207-367-2708 or Anne Hayden, Coordinator, Downeast Fisheries Partnership at ahayden@manomet.org / 207-725-9742.
The workshop will kick off with a reception, dinner and presentation on Monday, October 26th, 2015 at 5:30pm and continue through the following day with the workshop on October 27th.
The deadline for registration is October 5th. Please register here.