The first, and sometimes the only, thing people think they know about Maine fishermen, and especially island fishermen, is how fiercely they resist change. Like all truisms, this view vastly oversimplifies a more complicated reality. Of course, those whose lives are closest to the edge—whether that edge is geographical, economic or political—are more vulnerable to
The State of the Islands
A number of years ago, a great friend of the Maine islands whose wife had once worked at Forbes magazine—which regularly compiles lists of things capitalist and commercial—suggested the Island Institute compile a list of island attributes that could serve as an objective yardstick to detect trends from which policy and collective attention might flow.
Lobster Trends: Spurts, Rangoons and Tuna Heads
Each spring, when lobstermen set out traps at the beginning of a new season, the chatter is what the year will bring when all is said and done in December. Few expect that this year could be as good as last year. In case you forgot or were not paying attention, the total volume of
What the World Could Be
Recently, I had two different and thoughtful individuals ask me the same question about Maine’s islands, which essentially was: In the great scheme of things, do Maine island communities really matter? Or phrased slightly differently, with so many communities in Maine, in America and around the world in such desperate shape, why direct so much
Go with the Flow
It didn’t take Chuck Friedman long to discover the possibilities of using sailcloth for items other than boats. After working with the fabric for years as a sail maker and sailing enthusiast, he started taking pieces of scrap fabric home to create wallets or bags as presents for friends. Fast forward six years and Chuck
Rockland Maine’s Tidal Turn
John Bird, a Rockland native, educator and businessman, has written and published a book that chronicles the “renaissance” of Rockland, as the phenomenon of transformation of Shore Village from a fishing capital to an arts center is often called. Bird starts with a timeline tracing the city’s history from George Weymouth’s first exploration of the
Flu Outbreak Thought to have Caused Seal Deaths
In a three-month span this fall, 146 seals have been found dead along New England shores and in the Gulf of Maine, more than three times the average. Wildlife officials have been scrambling to determine the cause for the recent mortality spike; NOAA has declared the rash of deaths an Unusual Mortality Event. Now, after
Northern Shrimp Quota Halved
The northern shrimp-fishing industry has experienced boom times recently, with high prices, a robust stock and few regulations. Judging by the new restrictions for the upcoming shrimping season, these good times appear to be over. On October 28, regulators with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission imposed new restrictions for the upcoming shrimping season, including
Portland’s Cruise Ship Terminal Opens For Real
Last month, Portland celebrated the opening of a deepwater pier that finally allows large cruise ships to tie up at its three-and-a-half-year old, $27 million passenger terminal on the eastern waterfront. At the ribbon-cutting, the political class turned out in force to bask in the camera lamps, including Gov. Paul LePage, city mayor Nicholas Mavodones,
Seal Cove Shipwreck Mystery Probed
Some of the best mysteries begin as open secrets. Seal Cove residents have long known about the skeletal remains of a wooden schooner, even if national park officials don’t disclose its location officially. The hull of the ship is like a tidal phantom, only appearing at the water’s lowest ebb for a brief time before