The Maine Marine Patrol has launched the newest and largest patrol vessel in its fleet, the 57-foot P/V Allegiance, which will support safer and more effective offshore patrols. It was officially put into service on Thursday, June 11 during a christening event at Perry’s Lobster in Surry. “Maine Marine Patrol routinely patrols commercial fishing activity offshore and hauls and inspects tens…

The Maine Office of Community Affairs’ (MOCA) Maine Coastal Program (MCP) and Municipal Planning Assistance Program (MPAP) are accepting applications for approximately $450,000 in coastal planning grants through Aug. 31. Awards of up to…

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…

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…