BUZZARDS BAY, MASSACHUSETTS – During a ceremony hosted by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts on the evening of June 11, 2024, the Gulf of Maine Council presented international awards to honor individuals and organizations that have made a significant difference in protecting the health and sustainability of the Gulf of Maine watershed. The 2024 awards ceremony recognized 15 incredible award winners from Canada and the United States whose volunteer and professional efforts have supported the Gulf of Maine Council’s binational collaboration to protect the unique habitat, marine life, and economic resources of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.
GULFWIDE AWARDS
Two individuals and one organization received gulfwide awards for the far-reaching impact of their contributions to the health of the Gulf of Maine.
- Lisa Berry Engler of Massachusetts received the Susan Snow-Cotter Leadership Award for outstanding leadership as a coastal management professional within the Gulf of Maine.
- Fundy North Fishermen’s Association of New Brunswick received the Sustainable Industry Award for outstanding innovation and leadership in achieving sustainable business practices and conserving natural resources within the Gulf of Maine.
- Kevin Powers of Massachusetts received the Longard Volunteer Award for outstanding volunteer efforts to protect and conserve natural resources within the Gulf of Maine.
VISIONARY AWARDS
The Gulf of Maine Council honored the work of eight individuals and one organization with Visionary Awards in recognition of their outstanding innovation, creativity, and commitment to protecting natural resources within the Gulf of Maine.
- Huntsman Marine Science Centre, New Brunswick
- Karen Jenner, Nova Scotia
- Kim Bernard, Maine
- Daniel Devereaux, Maine
- Doug Welch, Maine
- John A. Mullen, Jr., New Hampshire
- Sean Tumblety, New Hampshire
- Pam DiBona, Massachusetts
- Laura Ludwig, Massachusetts
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
The Gulf of Maine Council presented the following three Distinguished Service Awards for exceptional service and contributions to the Gulf of Maine Council over the past several years.
- Ivy Mlsna, Massachusetts
- Robert Stephenson, New Brunswick
- Prassede Vella Foote, Massachusetts
Additional information about the Gulf of Maine Council 2024 awards including recipient highlights is available at: https://gulfofmaine.org/public/gulf-of-maine-council-on-the-marine-environment/awards/
About the Gulf of Maine Council
The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment was established in 1989 by the Governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts to foster cooperative actions within the Gulf watershed. The Council’s mission is to maintain and enhance environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine to allow for sustainable resource use by existing and future generations. For more information, please go to: www.gulfofmaine.org.
The following is from the Gulf of Maine Council 2024 Award Winner Highlights:
Laura Ludwig, Massachusetts
The Gulf of Maine Council is pleased to recognize Laura Ludwig with a Visionary Award for her exemplary contributions toward protecting natural resources in the Gulf of Maine as Director of the Marine Debris and Plastics Program at the Center for Coastal Studies. Since 2009, Laura has directed ‘at-sea’ fishing gear removal and recycling programs in both Maine and Massachusetts. As of 2021, her Fishing Gear Recovery Project had removed more than 58 tons of material from Cape Cod Bay. Laura has been a valued partner in the Gulf of Maine Council’s collaboration to address marine debris in the Gulf of Maine. She leads a group of more than 400 volunteers known as the “Beach Brigade” who clean the shorelines and collect data year-round. In 2022, this group conducted 26 cleanups, removing about 37,000 pieces of trash from the environment. Laura was recently at the forefront of collecting mysterious shock tubing from shorelines throughout the Gulf of Maine. After tracing the origin of this debris to underwater explosives used during a Boston Harbor dredging project, she communicated this information to decision-makers to promote more sustainable approaches. Laura regularly collaborates with researchers, recyclers, academics, members of the commercial fishing community, volunteers, and artists. Since 2006, she has worked as a sort of “debris broker”, providing hundreds of tons of old or discarded rope, nets, and other debris to craftsmen and artists who re-purpose the material, diverting it from the waste stream to be used in sculpture, artwork, or doormats. Laura has shared her work with national and international audiences, raising awareness and encouraging people to join her in protecting the Gulf of Maine environment for future generations.
Photo at top: Alison Brizius, Director of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Management, presents Laura Ludwig, Director of the Center for Coastal Studies Marine Debris & Plastics Program, with a Visionary Award.