Working Waterfront

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

Working Waterfront

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

Working Waterfront

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

Working Waterfront

Marine Patrol launches largest patrol vessel

The Maine Marine Patrol has launched the newest and largest patrol vessel in its fleet, the 57-foot P/V Allegiance, which will support safer and more effective offshore patrols. It was officially put into service on Thursday, June 11 during a christening event at Perry’s Lobster in Surry. “Maine Marine Patrol routinely… SEE MORE

Marine

Working Waterfront

The tall task of throwing away lobster rope

Lobstermen call it pot warp: the rope that runs from the buoy on the water’s surface down to the trap on the ocean floor. A single lobsterman may use miles of it. Until the mid-20th century, pot warp was made of natural fiber—Manila, cotton, hemp—that wore out, broke down and… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Maine warns boaters to keep distance from humpback whales

The Maine Department of Marine Resources has recently sighted numerous humpback whales close to shore, spanning from Port Clyde up through Jonesport. We have also received reports of boaters coming in close proximity to these whales. This can result in injuries to both the whales and the people. When boating… SEE MORE

Marine

Working Waterfront

NOAA selects UNH as hub for aquaculture research

The University of New Hampshire has been selected as the host institution for a new program under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration called the Cooperative Institute Fostering Aquaculture Research and Markets (CIFARM) to expand NOAA’s impact and strengthen efforts to boost American seafood competitiveness. After a highly competitive application process,… SEE MORE

Marine