Working Waterfront

The making of a captain, by intention

The making-of-a-fisherman myth we often subscribe to has him growing up on a boat, eventually making captain, and then inherently knowing how to succeed as he takes the helm. In this scenario, the fishing fleet is continuously reinvigorated by the children of fishermen. In reality, the New England fishing fleet… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Thanking a senator for her help

Name: Erin Quetell Title: Policy director Focus: I lead on critical policy issues, such as clean energy and municipal resiliency. I work closely with staff across the organization to support their on-the-ground work through relationship building, coalition development, and policy awareness and advocacy. In This Photo: On March 12, I… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Tariffs would pinch lobster markets

In 2024, Maine exported goods to 168 countries, with Canada the top export destination, by far, she said, with 40% of Maine exported goods arriving there. Canada also is the place where most of Maine’s imports—70%—originate. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Of books and boats—Brooklin library to host maritime research center

Serendipitous timing and a simple request have combined to keep a large collection of nautical publications in Brooklin, preserving the library’s local roots. Last June, Jon Wilson gave visitors a tour of the WoodenBoat Library—a 6,700-volume “labor of love” he put together over decades of book and periodical collecting. Wilson… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Alcohol and fishing don’t have to be partners

Fishermen have long been stereotyped as heavy drinkers, a perception reinforced in media, pop culture, and even within their own communities. This assumption creates a damaging cycle. When people expect fishermen to drink, it normalizes excessive alcohol use... SEE MORE

A view of the shore of Peaks Island. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Smart housing: focus on density and character

The state faces a decision—how can we maintain the character of non-urban life while encouraging the building necessary to house the working- and middle-class people struggling to find consistent housing? SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A better way to do highway commerce

It was a sad, maybe even pathetic sight, but it caught my eye. I was driving through the busy commercial strip on Route 3, just west of Route 1 in Belfast, and I saw an excavator, its arm resting in a partially demolished building. It took me a moment, but… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A home for all

I had the opportunity recently to join a 20th anniversary celebration of North Haven Sustainable Housing (NHSH), one of the leading models of housing solutions along the coast. Since 2005, NHSH has demonstrated that the people who make island communities thrive can, in fact, have beautiful homes that are affordable… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Finally, a plan to remediate Penobscot River mercury

Some tiny bottom-dwelling organisms may have to be sacrificed for the health of a Penobscot River cove. But because these critters play an important role in the ecosystem, scientists hope to observe a temporary decline in their population along the intertidal flats of Orrington’s East Cove 3 when permits are… SEE MORE

The approach the ferry service takes to the Fox Islands Thorofare. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Coast Guard in the fog over buoys

In an apparent effort to demonstrate that it takes the Trump administration’s war on “fraud, waste, and abuse” seriously, the U.S. Coast Guard plans to discontinue—remove—more than 150 buoys and other aids to navigation, such as fixed “daybeacons,” from Maine’s coastal waters. The Coast Guard’s stated rationale for the planned… SEE MORE