The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI) is a non-profit marine science center and research institute located in
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropo ...
. The institute promotes stewarding the ecosystem, supporting sustainable seafood, cultivating science literacy, and strengthening coastal communities.
History
The organization was established as the Research Institute of the Gulf of Maine (RIGOM) in 1968 to teach young learners about Maine’s fresh and saltwater resources and to conduct research on the
Gulf of Maine
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and its watershed.
In 1988, the organization began work to launch a public aquarium. After significant market research, an aquarium was deemed not feasible. Instead, the organization worked to build a marine research laboratory that would continue to provide science education. The marine research and education laboratory opened in 2005. The institute established an online education program called Vital Signs for Maine school children.
Today, the endowed institute promotes ocean stewardship and economic growth in the Gulf of Maine bioregion. Science, Education and Community programs are funded primarily by federal grants and charitable contributions.
Recent accomplishments
*Launched a virtual climate center to address the critical issue of climate change in the oceans
*Renovated the Cohen Center for Interactive Learning and developed new climate-focused content for 5th and 6th grade students
*Published the reports: "Preparing for Emerging Fisheries: An Overview of Mid-Atlantic Stocks on the Move" and "An Independent Evaluation of the Maine Limited Entry Licensing System for Lobster and Crab"
*created the Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested brand
*Expanded the Marine Resource Education Program whose goal is to:
** bring fishermen, scientists and managers together in a neutral setting outside the regulatory process
** increase the number of people at work in New England fisheries who are comfortable working with the fishery data and management systems.
References
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Economy of Portland, Maine
Education in Portland, Maine
Environmental research institutes
Research institutes established in 1968