Occasionally in the aquaculture leasing process or in operations, conflicts can arise between shellfish growers and other user groups, such as commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, and homeowners. One approach to addressing such conflicts is to attempt to bring parties together to communicate their views with the help of a trained mediator. Mediation is always confidential and voluntary. Resources are available at the end of this page for locating free mediation services in your area.
What Is Mediation?
Mediation is a conflict resolution process in which mediators help participants have difficult conversations, get clear about what's important to everyone, and make decisions that meet the needs of those involved.
Mediators do not decide who is right or wrong, take sides, counsel, or give advice. Mediators help participants communicate and empower them to create their own solutions. In mediation, people speak for themselves and make their own decisions.
How Does Mediation Work?
In mediation, the participants control the decisions and the outcome.
- Mediation is a means to prevent conflict as well and to assist participants in having a constructive conversation before the lines of communication breakdown.
- Mediation is way for people to resolve disputes or have difficult conversations with the help of a neutral mediator who is trained to help people communicate.
- Mediation is a voluntary process that only takes place if both parties agree.
- The mediators will help you talk to each other to clarify goals, gather information, and identify options.
- Sessions are kept private and confidential, and cannot be disclosed or used at a court hearing.
The Role of the Mediator
The mediator's role is to help participants listen to one another, so they can clarify their needs, gather information, identify their options, and work out their own solutions to problems. Mediators do not counsel, give advice, guidance, make decisions for the participants, or pass judgments. The mediator does not decide who is right or wrong or make decisions for the participants.
The Big 3 of Mediation
Non-judgmental: Mediators listen, ask questions, and try to clarify what's important to everyone. They don't give advice, won't decide who's right or wrong, and they won't take sides.
Confidential: Mediators maintain confidentiality except in situations involving child abuse, elder abuse or credible threats of violence. Mediation contents are inadmissible as evidence in civil court hearings. Mediators destroy their notes at the end of the mediation.
Voluntary: Mediation is voluntary. Participants are at the table of their own free will and can end the process at any time. No one will be forced to do anything they do not want to do. Nobody will be forced to agree to anything they do not want to agree to.
Information on mediation provided by the Community Mediation Center of St. Mary's County.
Community Mediation Centers & Additional Resources
COMMUNITY MEDIATION CENTERS
Free mediation services are available throughout Maryland at the centers listed below.
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
Anne Arundel Conflict Resolution Center
2666 Riva Road, Suite 130
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410-266-9033
fax: 410-573-5391
email: [email protected]
website: www.aacrc.info
BALTIMORE CITY
Baltimore Community Mediation Center
3333 Greenmount Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
410-467-9165
fax: 410-467-9155
Contact: Alexa Del Piano [email protected]
Director: [email protected]
website: www.communitymediation.org
BALTIMORE COUNTY
Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County
10946 Golden West Drive Suite #130
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
410-527-4321
email: [email protected]
website: crcbaltimorecounty.org
CALVERT COUNTY
Community Mediation Center - Calvert County
Phillips House
28 Duke Street
Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 1842
Prince Frederick, Maryland 20678
443-295-7456
Contact: Cheryl Jackson, Community Relations Director
email: [email protected]
website: www.calvert-mediation.org
CAROLINE, DORCHESTER, & TALBOT COUNTIES
Mid Shore Community Mediation Center
300 Talbot Street, Suite 206
Easton, Maryland 21601
410-820-5553
Contact: Cynthia Jurrius
email: [email protected]
website: www.midshoremediation.org
CECIL, KENT, & QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTIES
Community Mediation Upper Shore, Inc.
100 North Cross Street
Chestertown, Maryland 21620
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 692
Chestertown, Maryland 21620
Kent & Queen Anne's: 410-810-9188 fax: 410-810-3105
Cecil: 443-207-5159
Contact: Penni Walker Doyle
email: [email protected]
website: www.cmusmediation.org
CHARLES COUNTY
Charles County Mediation Center at the College of Southern Maryland
8730 Mitchell Road
La Plata, Maryland 20646-0910
Contact: Julie Walton 301-539-4683
email: [email protected]
website: www.csmd.edu/community/mediation
HARFORD COUNTY
Harford County Community Mediation Program
Dept. of Community Services
125 N. Main Street
Bel Air, Maryland 21014
410-638-4807
fax: 410-803-0433
Contact: Susan Fisher [email protected]
website: www.harfordmediation.org
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
Key Bridge Foundation
Center for Conflict Resolution
9301 Largo Drive West, Suite 205
Largo, Maryland 20774
240-770-0401
fax: 240-770-0406
email: [email protected]
website: www.kbfcenter.org
ST. MARY'S COUNTY
Community Mediation Center of St. Mary's County
P.O. Box 853
41620 Courthouse Drive [Rear Entrance]
Leonardtown, Maryland 20650
301-475-9118
email: [email protected]
website: www.CommunityMediationSMC.org
WICOMICO, WORCESTER, & SOMERSET COUNTIES
Tri Community Mediation
231 West Main Street
Salisbury, Maryland 21801
410-548-7174
email: [email protected]
website: www.tricommunitymediation.org
OTHER RESOURCES
Community Mediation Maryland
310 Tulip Avenue
Takoma Park, Maryland 20912
301-270-9700
fax: 301-270-9701
website: www.mdmediation.org/
Maryland Judiciary Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO)
Administrative Office of the Courts
2001-C Commerce Park Drive
Annapolis, MD 21404
410-260-3540
fax: 410-260-3541
email: [email protected]
website: www.courts.state.md.us/macro/about
