Working Waterfront

Why white sharks are showing up more in Maine

While that news may alarm some swimmers, it turns out this is largely a conservation success story. SEE MORE

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Maine researchers tag 1st white shark as part of expanded research

The Maine Department of Marine Resources is teaming up with University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and University of Maine on the research. SEE MORE

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Drone vessels now operating in the Northeast

Built and deployed by Saildrone, a California-based marine research and defense company, these uncrewed vessels traversed the gulf’s waters in 2023 and 2024 to map parts of the ocean floor. SEE MORE

Marine

Working Waterfront

Smithsonian gets its first Maine lobster

Upon discovering the museum collection lacked a suitable lobster for display, a staffer with ties to lobstering donated the specimen, along with four others for its permanent collection. SEE MORE

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A Downeast yacht club with close ties across Passamaquoddy Bay

Over its long relationship with its nearby human inhabitants, the Passamaquoddy Bay—located between Downeast Maine and southwest New Brunswick—has traditionally served as an international connection point. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Seeking new ways to lower Gulf of Maine acidity

Similar to doctors, researchers know that to combat climate change they must first do no harm. That’s why for the next two years researchers with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts will be testing in a lab whether reducing the acidity of ocean water could harm larvae of… SEE MORE

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Making sense of mackerel

In late May, NOAA Fisheries announced a new research initiative with the Northeast fishing industry to gather information about the Atlantic mackerel, a fish so common that it is often overlooked for research and so misunderstood that regulators have routinely miscalculated how many are in the sea. With the new… SEE MORE

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UMaine researcher sails Southern Ocean to study phytoplankton

Battling polar winds, rough seas, and sea ice, the University of Maine’s Emmanuel Boss and his colleagues sailed the Southern Ocean to study plankton, microscopic organisms that form the foundation of marine food webs. These microorganisms, particularly the plant-like phytoplankton, have been producing about 50% of the world’s oxygen, and… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A new Rockland exhibit celebrates seaweed

Seaweed is having a moment—well, actually, more like an era. Attention to algae has been growing for many years now, led by environmentalists and entrepreneurs. While their goals might at times clash, both groups focus on this coastal mainstay: the weeds in the water. Another cohort taking notice—artists—is becoming increasingly… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Portland’s Seafarers Friend center offers a respite for mariners

Like a friend welcoming his buddies home after a long voyage at sea, Jasper DelCarlino greets the crew members of virtually every working ship that arrives in the port of Portland. With his beaming smile, DelCarlino boards the steady flow of cargo ships and oil tankers, giving seafarers snack bags… SEE MORE