An aerial view of Camden’s waterfront shows Montgomery Dam. PHOTO: TODD ANDERSON

Working Waterfront

Camden’s dam problem

In June, voters in the town of Camden will decide the fate of the iconic Montgomery Dam, located in the coastal community’s bustling downtown just above where the Megunticook River empties into Camden Harbor. Camden citizens will weigh the environmental, economic, flood risk, historic preservation, and aesthetic pros and cons… SEE MORE

Minna Page, a cannery worker, inside Stinson's Cannery in Belfast in 1990. PHOTO: PEGGY MCKENNA COLLECTION/PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM

Working Waterfront

When the Maine coast was ‘Sardineland’

In the mid-20th century, there were some 75 sardine canneries operating along the Maine coast, so calling the region “sardine land” wouldn’t be hyperbole. The Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport is diving into the history of that once robust sector of the marine economy in its spring exhibit, “Sardineland: Boom,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

DMR demonstrates ropeless gear in Jonesport

Maine’s lobster industry is navigating the impacts of federal legal action aimed at protecting the North Atlanti right whale. Regulations are administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the rulemaking process is managed by NOAA’s Take Reduction Team, which includes representatives from the industry, state and federal managers, conservation groups, and science and academic institutions. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Cooke is not minding its Maine pens

The opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Island Institute, the publisher of The Working Waterfront. Forty-three years ago, anglers from five fish and game clubs in Washington County formed the Downeast Salmon Federation. Today DSF employs 12 staff and conducts a variety of conservation activities to recover… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Lobster landings dip, but price was up

Lobster harvesters earned $528.4 million in 2024, with an average per-pound price of $6.14, according to data released by the state Department of Marine Resources. The so-called boat price, that which is paid to lobstermen, was up last year from the 2023 value of $464 million. The price is the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

It’s time for an honest conversation about aquaculture

In the last few years we have watched the promise of an innovative and dynamic seafood industry be picked apart by groups flying a false flag of environmentalism or “fishing heritage.” SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Cape Cod fishing boats add water sensors

Within the next year, some 150 Cape Cod fishing boats will be equipped with sensors to collect vital information about ocean temperatures and water oxygen levels off the northeast coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The information collected will help researchers better understand the changing conditions of the Atlantic Ocean in… SEE MORE

Harvested rockweed at a boat launch in Hancock. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

A life in seaweed, seen from inside

The opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Island Institute, the publisher of The Working Waterfront. For the past 50 years, I have harvested seaweeds for food, medicine, and fertilizer, working within a five-mile radius of a home cove on Gouldsboro Bay where I keep my four little… SEE MORE

Dave Brayton prepares to harpoon a swordfish on the Georges Bank. PHOTO: PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM

Working Waterfront

Capturing the kill

He used a polarizing filter to help lessen the glare on the surface so the swordfish could be clearly seen; those preparations, coupled with some savvy darkroom work, produced the cover shot. SEE MORE

Central Wharf in Portland. FILE PHOTO: JACK SULLIVAN

Working Waterfront

Portland’s ‘Big Dig’ gets underway, finally

[caption id="attachment_46664" align="alignnone" width="700"] A dredger loads dredged materials onto a barge near the Maine State Pier. PHOTO: COURTESY ERNO BONEBAKKER[/caption] Work has begun on a long-awaited project to remove hundreds of millions of pounds of contaminated muck from around wharves, marinas, boatyards, and public boat launches in Portland Harbor.… SEE MORE