» Chris Brehme receives 2-year award from SeaGrant to study lobster fishing and endangered whale interaction

Chris Brehme, Assistant Professor in the Geography Department, is part of a multi-partner collaboration led by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution that received a two-year award from the Northeast SeaGrant Consortium to analyze the potential interaction between endangered whales and lobster gear along the Maine coast. Other partners include the Institute for Broadening Participation, Maine Lobstermen’s Association and New England Aquarium.

Heather Tetrault of Maine Lobstermen's Assocation and a Maine lobsterfishermen document fishing areas
Heather Tetrault of Maine Lobstermen's Assocation and a Maine lobster fisherman document fishing areas

With the help of geography major Amy Curran, Chris is using Geographic Information Systems
to analyze information collected at small meetings in dozens of fishing harbors. At these meetings, lobstermen use paper charts and pens to indicate the location and timing of trap placement. These data will be combined with whale sightings information as part of a risk reduction model that the researchers hope will inform a more balanced approach to conservation management.