May and June are two of the busiest months in the Cranberry Isles. They hardly resemble the social whirl of July and August, but they are the time when the physical stage is set for whatever drama the summer will bring. Islesford postmaster, Joy Sprague, refers to Memorial Day weekend as the “dress rehearsal for
Fathoming: One fish, two fish: The virtual reality of counting lobsters
So scientists and fishermen and everyone else rely on computer models that mimic what is known about fish. Into the models goes information like size, age, growth rate, how many fish will die of natural mortality (predation, disease, moving away from the area) and how many are taken in the fishery. But lobsters, Maine’s largest
Artists of Archipelago: Casco Bay
As a program of the Island Institute, Archipelago gives artists and island-inspired art and craft a mainland venue. Here is a small sampling of our many artists from the Casco Bay region. For over 20 years, Gail Miller at Miller Designs on Chebeague has been hand crafting metal jewelry including earrings, pins, barrettes and napkin
Maine Island Scholarship Program celebrates 20 years
Over the past two decades, there have been approximately 650 awards equaling $730,000 in scholarship support to island students. Students that received special awards this year include: Arthur Govoni of Islesboro received the Academic and Community Leadership Scholarship, given to a graduating senior who exemplifies a combination of academic excellence and community leadership. Arianna Stefanilo
Fathoming: One fish, two fish: The virtual reality of counting lobsters
In many ways, the ocean is still a mystery. We take things out of it, things like food and fuel, that we call “resources.” We almost never directly observe what is going on beneath the surface of 70 percent of the planet, and yet US fishing rules and regulations demand that scientists predict how many
Summer of tears: A fisherman’s reaction to the Gulf oil spill
The boat ride out, from Lafitte, Louisiana on Sunday, May 23 2010 to our fishing grounds was not unlike any other I have taken in my life as a commercial fisherman from this area. I have made the trip thousands of times in my 35-plus years shrimping and crabbing. A warm breeze in my face,
Summer of tears: A fisherman’s reaction to the Gulf oil spill
The boat ride out, from Lafitte, Louisiana on Sunday, May 23 2010 to our fishing grounds was not unlike any other I have taken in my life as a commercial fisherman from this area. I have made the trip thousands of times in my 35-plus years shrimping and crabbing. A warm breeze in my face,
Community impacts of the Gulf Coast BP oil spill
I visited the Gulf as a life-long environmental activist, having started several marine and coastal protection organizations and worked on a number of other oil spills. In the first few weeks of this spill, while still in Maine, I had worked with other oil spill-experienced water keepers to support the work of our five newer
Parallel 44: Portland stanches bleeding at cruise ship terminal
For once, I’ve got some positive news to report from Portland’s eastern waterfront. Regular readers are well aware of the cruise ship-related shenanigans here: how city officials used obviously flawed economic assumptions to gain approval for the building of a new $20 million cruise ship terminal, leaving city taxpayers on the hook for a potential
Eighth Annual MAINE BOATS, HOMES & HARBORS SHOW Highlights: August 13-15, Rockland, Maine
Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine will present its annual boat and coastal lifestyle show on the waterfront in Rockland, Maine, August 13-15. This year’s show will continue to examine how “Tradition Shapes Innovation,” which reflects how the traditions and styles of Maine’s past mix with innovations in design and emerging technologies to shape our