Working Waterfront

Which is more accurate—a mirror or a painting?

By Meghan Grabill When I moved here over a year ago, people asked me what connection I had to Maine. What brought me here? My response: I had visited once as a teenager on a family trip and when a job opportunity presented itself on the coast of Maine I… SEE MORE

A lobsterman and his young helper in the Fox Islands Thorofare.

Working Waterfront

Lobster science—last year was indeed strange

By Susie Arnold It was a strange year for the lobster fishery. In 2019, the scarcity of bait was a concern, and lobster landings were incredibly slow through the summer months. The July catch was the lowest recorded since at least 2008, the year the Department of Marine Resources began… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The census is coming… and why you should be counted

By Meghan Grabill It’s that time again. Ten years in the making. Data nerds, college students, genealogists, and trivia buffs everywhere are starting the countdown. The countdown to what? To the 2020 Decennial Census! For people who do not work with social and economic data, the census may seem dull. … SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Can our communities be marine-friendly?

By Craig Olson You’ve heard it many times, but it bears repeating: “Change is the only constant.” For Maine’s coastal economy, that statement couldn’t be more appropriate. For those who work on the water or rely on marine-based businesses, shifts in ocean use, diminishing fisheries, and access to steady supplies… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Lemonade from lemons, or tasty seafood from invasive crabs

By Kate Tagai Thousands flock to the Maine coast each summer to crack open the boiled red shells of lobster, drench the contents in butter, and toss it down the hatch. Fishermen catch more than 119 million pounds annually for consumers, but Gabriela Bradt from the University of New Hampshire… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine’s right whale plan is due by September

By Susie Arnold The Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) will submit a proposal to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in September outlining how the state’s lobster fishery will reduce its risk of entangling endangered North Atlantic Right Whales by 60 percent. Failure to submit a plan that meets… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Geography: it’s all about relationships

By Meghan Grabill Geography. Sigh, right? Sitting in that classroom back in sixth grade, memorizing the names of states and the capitals of countries around the world. Boring! But knowing place names is only a small part of what geography is about. Location is the underlying principle of geography and… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Adapting to a changing climate means listening

By Sam Belknap Too often, our conversations about climate change turn to doom and gloom as we try to wrap our minds around the magnitude of its impacts and the challenges of responding. The National Adaptation Forum, held in Madison, Wis., in late April, was a showcase for the people… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Rising seas and the power of laughter

By Kate Tagai A few months ago, I had one of those "I can't believe I get to do this" moments. Pages of my cartoons were spread on one of the conference tables in front of Andy and Hanji, the duo that make up O'Chang Studios in Lincolnville. We on… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Shellfish gets a closer look at fishermen’s forum

By Susie Arnold The first day of the annual Maine Fishermen's Forum, held in early March, is traditionally "Shellfish Day," focusing on Maine's bivalve fisheries. Presentations covering wild harvested bivalves and farmed shellfish yielded valuable insights. By commercial license numbers, the soft-shell clam is the state’s second largest fishery, following… SEE MORE