Working Waterfront

Offshore aquaculture offers promise, may avoid conflict

Aquaculture, once seen as a viable alternative to chasing declining wild fish stocks, is rebounding. But fish farming is taking shape in locations and using technology far different from the floating pens seen just off the coast back in the early 1990s. One new area entrepreneurs are exploring is… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Don’t give up on groundfishing just yet

"Why should we help those who destroyed their own fishery?" This is the question that is usually trotted out when there is a debate about allowing lobster bycatch on groundfish boats here in Maine. (Bycatch is the term that refers to species incidentally caught in fishing gear in addition to… SEE MORE

The Morris Yachts yard in Bass Harbor is up for sale. The old Sim Davis building is on the right.

Working Waterfront

Developer ponders new uses for old Bass Harbor boatyard

TREMONT — A waterfront boatyard dating back at least to the 1940s could face transformation and be split into residential and mixed-use maritime uses, with a developer from Southern Maine exploring options. It could be a return, of sorts, to the original mix of uses on the property, which was… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Spotting whales from buoys and other scientific wonders

By Susie Arnold, Ph. D. and Heather Deese, Ph. D. This month, we decided to highlight some of the new science we heard about at the 40th Maine Fishermen's Forum in early March. * * * The Eastern Maine Skippers Program, a regional collaboration among high schools including Deer Isle,… SEE MORE

The fishing vessel Westward being towed off a ledge by Fuller Marine Services in Boothbay Harbor on Jan. 9.

Working Waterfront

The Wrack Line

Compiled by Tom Groening In baseball, the hitter gets three strikes. But when it comes to a 136-foot fishing boat wandering off it's mooring, there is no third strike. The Boothbay Register has been following the saga of the Westward, a steel-hulled, Dutch-built vessel that has been moored in Boothbay… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Lobster marketing strategy centers on ‘new shell’

ROCKPORT — A firm hired by the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative to help grow markets for and increase the value of the state's signature seafood unveiled its strategy at the Maine Fishermen's Forum on Friday, March 6. Representatives from the firm Weber Shandwick said their vision aims to: Establish the… SEE MORE

Marine

Working Waterfront

Maine Maritime Academy hires alumnus to develop offshore industry program

Maine Maritime Academy has hired Michael Young of Ellsworth, a 1977 MMA graduate and previous instructor at the college to develop courses and programs to prepare students for jobs in offshore industries. The industries encompass oil and gas exploration, sub-sea engineering, dynamic positioning, floating production and storage offshore and supply vessel operations.… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Stranded by choice

When lobster scientist Diane Cowan heard that friends planned to airlift a box of goodies to her on Friendship Long Island, where she's been stranded since Jan. 30 due to extreme ice conditions, she broke into laughter. "I thought it was hilarious," said Cowan in a cellphone interview from the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Fishing boat adrift in Boothbay Harbor

The Westward was towed off rocks on Jan. 9 and was headed to Portland, the Boothbay Register newspaper reported. The vessel has been a problem for the town, repeatedly breaking loose. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Record lobster landings in 2014: 123 million pounds, $456 million in value

For the third year in a row and only the third time ever, Maine lobster fishermen landed over 120 million pounds with a record overall value of $456,935,346, according to preliminary landings data reported by the Maine Department of Marine Resources. At $3.69 per pound, the 123,676,100 pounds landed represented… SEE MORE