For almost a decade, the Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area (WGOMCA) has been a predominant fi sheries management strategy for the Gulf of Maine. Th e Closure was established to protect spawning and nursery areas of key species, maintain age structure by retaining older and proportionately more fecund individuals, protect key habitats, and reduce bycatch of overfi shed and threatened stocks. Th e Western Gulf of Maine Closure Area 2007 Symposium was held at the University of New Hampshire on March 26. Th e meeting was open to the public and drew more than 80 commercial and recreational fi shermen, scientists, fi sheries managers and representatives of non-profi t organizations, all eager to share their knowledge and collaboratively develop answers to the following questions.