Lobstermen call it pot warp: the rope that runs from the buoy on the water’s surface down to the trap on the ocean floor. A single lobsterman may use miles of it. Until the mid-20th century, pot warp was made of natural fiber—Manila, cotton, hemp—that wore out, broke down and eventually was burned or left to biodegrade. Then synthetic rope…

The last time I drove Island Institute’s boat, a 25-footer with an outboard motor, I used about 16 gallons of gas per hour. That’s the standard measure of a boat’s…

With summer here, many people are returning to familiar places with deep generational roots, surrounded by memories and family heirlooms. Summer traditions are in full swing: children jumping into the…

The Fathoming column has long served to bridge complex marine science with local coastal knowledge. This one has been guest-written, in recognition of the important role that many organizations play…

The Maine Department of Marine Resources has recently sighted numerous humpback whales close to shore, spanning from Port Clyde up through Jonesport. We have also received reports of boaters coming…

The University of New Hampshire has been selected as the host institution for a new program under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and…

There are times when I wonder if Nantucket Island, where I have lived and worked for the last twelve years, faces an impossible situation. Thirty miles south of mainland Massachusetts,…

For North Haven farmer Becky Bartovics, the secret to blue ribbon-winning fleece is multifaceted. Some of the magic might come from the salt air and cooler summers. The sheep’s Coopworth…

At a time when many museums are retrenching post-pandemic, the New Bedford Whaling Museum on the south shore of Massachusetts is expanding. In March, it was announced the museum would…

Reflections is written by Island Institute Fellows, recent grads of college and master’s programs who do community service work on Maine islands and in coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront.…