1. Regional Program Comparison Gulf of Maine Area Census:Gulf of Maine Area Census: Sara Ellis, Lew Incze, Peter Lawton Sara Ellis, Lew Incze, Peter Lawton Baltic HMAP: Brian MacKenzie, Henn Ojaveer, Margit EeroBaltic HMAP: Brian MacKenzie, Henn Ojaveer, Margit Eero GBR Seabed Biodiversity Project:GBR Seabed Biodiversity Project: Roland Pitcher Roland Pitcher Gulf of Mexico Biodiversity Project:Gulf of Mexico Biodiversity Project: Tom Shirley, Wes Tunnell, Tom Shirley, Wes Tunnell, Rich McLaughlin, Darryl Felder Rich McLaughlin, Darryl Felder Main contact: Sara EllisMain contact: Sara Ellis

2. Approach: compare and contrast the motivations, goals, approaches, achievements and “lessons learned” from four ecosystem-wide studies of marine biodiversityApproach: compare and contrast the motivations, goals, approaches, achievements and “lessons learned” from four ecosystem-wide studies of marine biodiversity Objective: recommend how information from regional biodiversity studies can be used to improve coastal and marine decision-makingObjective: recommend how information from regional biodiversity studies can be used to improve coastal and marine decision-making

3. Planned timelines Meetings: Jun 2008 Planning Corpus Christi, TX Jun 2008 Planning Corpus Christi, TX Sep Follow up Halifax, NS Sep Follow up Halifax, NS Feb 2009 Writing Long Beach, CA Feb 2009 Writing Long Beach, CA Oct Final St Andrews, NB Oct Final St Andrews, NB Drafts: Feb 2009 Partial draft, regional case studies Feb 2009 Partial draft, regional case studies Apr First full draft (to Snelgrove) Apr First full draft (to Snelgrove) Jul Revised draft (to Synthesis Group) Jul Revised draft (to Synthesis Group) Oct Presentation, GoM Sci. Symposium Oct Presentation, GoM Sci. Symposium Nov Finalize manuscript Nov Finalize manuscript Submission: Dec 2009 To journal & Synthesis Group Dec 2009 To journal & Synthesis Group

4. Publication Plans Working title: A Comparison of Regional Marine Biodiversity Studies and Their Application to Ecosystem Approaches to Management (EAM) Target journal: Bulletin of Marine Science PLoS (?) PLoS (?)