Working Waterfront

Machias farm is betting on hemp

Ben Edwards planned to begin harvesting in mid-September, but a new variety of hemp matured almost overnight, possibly in response to heavy rains. “For whatever reason, this strain is maturing really quickly,” said Edwards, pointing to plants with yellowing leaves. “Ideally, some of these would have stayed out here for… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

For right whale protection—Is technology the future of lobster fishing?

Acoustic buoy releases and tracking software: These are high-tech options under consideration as ways to eliminate the potential for interaction between the lobster fishery and the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Ideas include raising traps from the sea floor by means of acoustically signaled lifting mechanisms, rather than hauling by… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Tourism is a fragile pillar of island economy

It turns out that the Maine coast and Bali have something major in common. We each depend on tourism as a primary source of income, and economically the pandemic has hurt both of us badly. In the U.S., Maine is first in its economic losses, with Vermont and Nevada as… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Climate council work is narrowing focus

In a world where every king tide inundates parking lots and building basements, where great white sharks can be found off the rocky shores of the Maine coast, and where the summer bakes us with the intensity many southern visitors have come to try to escape, we can no longer… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Strengthening Maine’s small business backbone

How often have we at the Island Institute said—like many others throughout Maine—that small business is the backbone of the state. That became clearer than ever in March of this year. Coronavirus hit. We paused. We stepped back. We shut down. It became clear that small businesses were going to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A new soundtrack for our working waterfronts

It wasn’t just the sound of seagulls and waves lapping against the shore those four years I spent running my family’s Midcoast lobster wharf. There was the whir of impeller blades pumping seawater into the lobster tanks. The roar of the propane blast heater, struggling to heat 200 gallons of water… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Technology that could trace seafood from boat to plate

Imagine being able to sit down and swipe your phone above your seafood meal and find out where it was harvested and who handled it along the way. This concept may not be too far off. In a recent conversation about emerging technologies that may impact the marine economy in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Report: Aquaculture workforce must grow rapidly

A report by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute identifies the labor needs of Maine’s growing aquaculture industry and charts a course for the state to establish a comprehensive workforce training system to meet the demand. The report—produced in partnership with the Maine Aquaculture Association and Educate Maine, with support… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Research shows plastic is impacting larval lobster

Microplastic fiber pollution in the ocean impacts larval lobsters at each stage of their development, according to new research. A study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin reports that the fibers affect the animals’ feeding and respiration, and they could even prevent some larvae from reaching adulthood. “In today's ocean, organisms are exposed to… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Group works to recycle ‘ghost’ lobster traps

Lobstermen call it “ghost gear”—the remnants of lost, costly lobster traps to snags, storms, trap wars, and damage by both sailboats and power boats, all hazards inherent in fishing the Gulf of Maine. It comes with the territory, and the out-of-pocket costs are significant for those who now fish an… SEE MORE