Nick Battista, Chief Policy and External Affairs Officer at Island Institute, shares his reflections from a mid-March policy trip to Washington, DC.
Tag: Marine Economy
A Bright Future for Maine’s Fishing Communities
Posted by Gerogia Howe & filed under Blog.
At the 50th anniversary of the Maine Fishermen’s Forum, Island Institute announced the launch of its new Future of Fishing initiative. Community development officer Christa Thorpe writes about our new resources for fishermen and community-centered goals that anchor them.
More than a year after devastating storms, communities shift to resilience
Posted by Gerogia Howe & filed under In the news.
When last year’s winter storms devastated the coast, Sam Belknap’s family wharf on Round Pond harbor in Bristol was saved by its concrete floor. The floor, which Belknap’s family poured years ago when they put in a seafood processing room, provided enough weight to keep most of the wharf from floating away.
As aquafarming continues to grow in Maine, new coalition looks to educate
Posted by Gerogia Howe & filed under In the news.
A new coalition is coming together to support Maine’s growing aquaculture industry, aiming to clear up misconceptions and highlight the economic and environmental benefits of seafood farming.
Rockland nonprofit launches toolkit to aid transition to electric marine propulsion
Posted by Laura England & filed under In the news.
Island Institute, a Rockland nonprofit, launched an online electric boat toolkit to help marine business and coastal municipalities transition to electric marine propulsion and away from traditional diesel or gas motors.
Lobstermen see controversial fishing gear in action for the first time
Posted by Laura England & filed under In the news.
A marine scientist, a politician and a lobsterman walked onto a dock. Together, in frigid wind chill, they pulled experimental, ropeless lobstering gear from the water — gear that most lobstermen loathe. The Maine Department of Marine Resources held its first public demonstration day last Tuesday, where anyone — in and out of the industry — could see how the gear, still being developed, might work. And for some lobstermen, it felt like the first time the state was listening.
Reflections from the National Working Waterfront Network Conference
Posted by Gerogia Howe & filed under Blog.
At the beginning of the month, several Island Institute team members attended the National Working Waterfront Network Conference in San Diego. In addition to connecting with experts from across the country, they shared the groundbreaking work Island Institute is doing to keep Maine’s working waterfronts and marine economy ahead of the curve. We asked our team to reflect on the experience.
Homework without High-speed Internet
Posted by Laura England & filed under Blog.
Imagine being a math teacher, but only half of your class has access to calculators at home. Or imagine being an English teacher, but only a fraction of your students are able to take the book home. How would you adapt? This isn’t far from reality for many students in Maine who lack internet access at home. As part of Island Institute’s work supporting digital equity planning in Waldo county, my colleague Zuzy and I recently visited Belfast high school, to hear from students and teachers about the impact the digital divide on education.
Reflections on Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition
Posted by Laura England & filed under Blog.
I had my first day at Island Institute on a Monday, and by Wednesday I was boarding a train to Rhode Island to attend the Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition (NACE). The Amtrak was buzzing with excited chatter between industry acquittances, old friends, and colleagues, excited to connect in person and not at a virtual conference.
Raising a Glass to New Partnerships
Posted by Laura England & filed under Blog.
We’re thrilled to share the exciting news: Island Institute has been named a nonprofit partner of 1% for the Planet, an honor made possible by a thoughtful nomination from our friends at Maine Beer Company.
