Beginnings

Established in 2007, the GAMS cooperative was formed to create the Gulf Marine Centre, promoting the sustainability of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence's (sGSL) marine and coastal ecosystems, rich resources and distinct species, and the communities and industries that rely on them.

Dr. Gretchen Hull-Noyes, an oceanographer, educator and the founder of GAMS, began visiting Chéticamp in the 1970s and was immediately enthralled with the marine and coastal environment as well as the Acadian people living in the nearby coastal communities. Spending her summers living on Chéticamp Island and exploring the local area were the catalysts for Gretchen to form the GAMS cooperative.

Location

The coastal communities situated between the Margaree and Cheticamp rivers oversee the productive fishing grounds of the eastern Gulf of St. Lawrence and the deep waters of the Cabot Strait that link the Gulf with the Atlantic Ocean. Located on the scenic Cabot Trail, and built on a rich Acadian and fishing heritage, these communities form the western gateway to the world-renowned Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

What We Do

GAMS operates a year-round research and development office, and a seasonal Marine Discovery Centre, the latter of which combines research facilities and hands-on interpretive experiences featuring the ecology of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. GAMS designs and offers 1/2 day and full day children and youth Ocean Camps, we organize speakers who present to the public, we work with day care, school and interest groups to promote ocean education, we provide seasonal opportunities for students to give them career-building experience, we partner with university research programs, we attend and present at conferences and meetings, and we have also organized and hosted a semi-annual meetings - Fishermen's Forum - that allows fishermen, researchers and interested citizens to combine and share their knowledge around fisheries issues.

Who We Are

GAMS is governed by a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board composed of community members, scientists and educators. The cooperative has approximately 100 members.

Our Vision and Values

GAMS is committed to advancing Ocean Literacy and Sustainability through our three core values: Education, Community, and Research.

Education - GAMS is proud to offer educational opportunities related to the marine environment for all ages and levels of knowledge. We operate summer Ocean Camps for children and youth that are packed with fun ways to learn, we have hosted university field courses and research projects, we host public presentations on a variety of topics, we operated a public Bio- and Arts-Blitz on World Oceans Day, and our Marine Discovery Centre offers touch tank experiences for visitors - tourists and locals - of all ages to get up close and personal with marine creatures.

Community building - The GAMS Marine Discovery Centre (MDC) provides a tourism experience that contributes to community economic success. While GAMS promotes ocean literacy among community members through events and meetings, as well as citizen-science opportunities, we eagerly partner with community initiatives, such as school programming, interest group events, etc. GAMS helps to enrich the collective understanding of ocean and fisheries issues and we and welcomes involvement from all communities and individuals.

Research - GAMS aids and participates in research on past, present and future fisheries, resource management, ocean literacy initiatives, and ecosystems of the southern Gulf of St Lawrence by providing research space to university students and seeking out research partnerships with universities, government agencies, and others. We have been involved in research from invasive species populations to coastline mapping to developing new resources and new uses for current resources.

We believe that sciences and arts contribute to ocean literacy and the more we know, share, and care, the more sustainable marine and coastal environments and communities will be.

The GAMS Marine Centre is a place for tourists, local people and visitors to come together to learn about and share experiences and ideas around oceans and coasts, fisheries, climate change, biodiversity, and more, expressed through the arts and sciences. The added dimension of a research space will bring scientists, social scientists, artists, and members of the public together to learn and work cooperatively. Sharing, learning, and exploring brings the marine environment of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to life in the community and makes it a focal point for future research and education.