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Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shield logo with image of mountains and lakes in the background.
Help Support Maine’s Fish and Wildlife!

We are supporting the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife in updating the State Wildlife Action Plan—and you can too! This plan is Maine’s blueprint for conserving fish and wildlife before they become endangered, with updates every 10 years to assess species health and identify conservation opportunities. Now is your chance to shape the next decade of conservation by reviewing the draft list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need, learning about the listing criteria, and sharing your feedback online by Sunday, April 20, 2025.

Welcome to the main web page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Gulf of Maine Coastal Program. We work with public and private partners to conserve and restore important habitat for fish and wildlife resources in the Gulf of Maine Watershed.

Latest News

View from tidal marsh channel bank with spartina alterniflora grass in the foreground
Habitat Restoration
Gulf of Maine Coastal Program 2024 Highlights
From enhancing trout streams to restoring salt marshes, 2024 was all about action and impact! Discover how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf of Maine Coastal Program teamed up with partners to restore habitats, support wildlife and strengthen coastal communities for a brighter future.
River herring in stream
Gulf of Maine Coastal Program Celebrates World Fish Migration Day 2024
World Fish Migration Day will be celebrated on May 25th this year to raise awareness about the importance of migratory fish and the need to protect their migratory routes. Read on to find out how the Gulf of Maine Coastal Program supports fish migration and free-flowing rivers!
New England tidal marsh on a sunny day along the coast
Gulf of Maine Coastal Program 2023 Accomplishments
The Gulf of Maine Coastal Program’s dedicated staff collaborate with numerous partners to achieve meaningful conservation that is important to fish, wildlife, and people in the Gulf of Maine watershed. We want to highlight a few of the projects and successes that made 2023 a great year!
A smiling group stands in a frozen salt marsh
Climate Change
Salt marsh is the keystone to coastal conservation
On a cold January morning, snow blanketing the ground and stuck to tree trunks and branches, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, met with partners and collaborators in New Hampshire.
Tall green salt marsh grasses cover a level area, with a narrow channel filled with water in the foreground and a gray, cloudy sky above
Keystone initiative centers on salt marsh conservation
Coastal salt marshes are on the frontlines of climate change, facing sea-level rise and storm surge head on. This precious ecosystem, which serves as a buffer during weather events and provides important habitat for many species, is impeded by past and present human development that has weakened it...
a stream flows through a patch of green grass between stands of forest
Service to open new Office and Visitor Center in Kennebunk, ME
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced construction work will begin Oct. 23, 2023 on a multipurpose center in Kennebunk Maine that will serve as a focal point for connecting people to nature in southern Coastal Maine and celebrating the life and work of Rachel Carson.
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About Us

Mason Bay salt marsh, Jonesport, Maine
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The Gulf of Maine Coastal Program is part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Coastal Program. Through partnerships we work to protect and restore habitats that sustain diverse and abundant populations of fish, wildlife, and plants throughout the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and coastal watersheds. We partner with private individuals, non-governmental organizations, state, municipal, and Federal agencies. 

What We Do

Path and stream restoration along Sheepscot River, Coopers Mills, Maine
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We protect and restore habitat to sustain healthy populations of fish, wildlife and plants, recover protected species, and maintain resilient coastal ecosystems within the Gulf of Maine. Our goals are to increase the amount of habitat conserved within the Gulf of Maine Ecosystem, broaden and strengthen partnerships, and improve information sharing and communication.   

We work proactively with partners on a variety of conservation and restoration projects, with particular emphasis on at risk species, aquatic connectivity, and coastal ecosystem resilience. We connect people to nature by working with local communities.

Our Organization

Gathering of Puffins on brown rock
The Coastal Program is one of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s most effective resources for restoring and protecting fish and wildlife habitat on public and privately-owned lands. We play an important role in promoting the Service’s mission and priorities, delivering landscape-scale...
Program
Falls Church,VA

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Get Involved

Volunteers planting pollinator garden, Portland, ME
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Love the Gulf of Maine or want to learn or do more? The Gulf of Maine Coastal Program has opportunities for you to help your community and fish and wildlife, whether it be through volunteering, internships, or fellowships like the Service's Directorate Fellows Program. In addition, staff are eager to connect with communities and organizations to learn more about your interests in the Gulf of Maine ecosystem and to talk about potential possibilities to conserve fish, wildlife, and plants within the Gulf of Maine.  Please see the "Contact Us" section to contact us with further questions. 

Location and Contact Information

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