Maine or “Northern” Shrimp (Pandalus borealis) have been targeted by fishermen in the Gulf of Maine for generations and are the small, delicious shrimp that normally make their way to our appetizer or dinner plates for the holiday season. This year though, Maine shrimp will be much harder to come by as the fishing season
Bar Harbor Struggles with Cruise Ships
Several times while interviewing residents of Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island regarding the burgeoning cruise ship visitation in Bar Harbor, I heard the expression “Progress is good” and then the proviso would follow, “I guess.” The vote is still a bit early for an absolute “yea or nay.” “For instance,” replies Christopher Fogg, director
Never Say No To an Island
Islanders, no matter how competitive they may be in their fishing territories on the water, love hearing stories from other islanders. No one but another islander can fully appreciate the ways unforgiving edges of an island’s shore carve an offshore identity. Which is how we got an invitation to visit the islands of the Outer
Tropical Fish…In Maine?
Near the entrance of the 12,000-square-foot building in Franklin that is home to Sea & Reef Aquaculture, numerous tanks hold thousands of brightly colored tropical fish destined for pet stores and wholesalers across the United States. In some, duplicates of Finding Nemo’s hero, the Tomato Clownfish, swim around each other, each confident in its own
Rye
An accidental crop of 31 pounds of whole rye grains safely stored in large glass jars rests on my pantry floor. In our island’s history, I am hardly the first to grow rye. Not only did early settlers grow it for a bread grain, but it was needful for at least one sort of whiskey
Camden Hills Breaks Ground for Wind Turbine
“Ultimately the only thing you’ll see is this nine-foot-round footprint of the monopole,” says Margo Murphy. Well- that’s not exactly all a future visitor to Camden Hills Regional High School will see. To be clear, there’s also the 156-foot tall wind turbine atop that concrete footprint. But that’s assumed to be common knowledge at the
Scallop Season Starts with Early Closures in Cobscook Bay
An emergency closure of a section of Cobscook Bay to scallop fishing just two weeks into the season has many questioning the health of the industry and the management practices put in place by the Department of Marine Resources. “I have not see it this bad; it’s terrible” says Roger Preston of Roque Bluffs who
FDA Expands DNA Barcoding for Seafood Identification
In the wake of high profile reports of seafood mislabeling, the FDA recently announced it will expand its use of DNA testing in inspections of seafood manufacturers and restaurants. Proponents say this testing, known as DNA barcoding, will enhance detection of fish caught illegally or illegally substituted for other species, but some warn that such
Doing Lunch
Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, but if you ride the mail boat in the Cranberry Isles, chances are that lunch is your most talked about meal. As you board the ferry with empty canvas bags, going ashore for appointments, shopping and such, you rarely hear us ask each other what
Chebeague Community Rallies to Send Student to Austria
Arianna Stefanilo grew up on Chebeague Island. Her passion was cooking, and after completing a two-year culinary program at PATHS (Portland Arts and Technology High School) she decided that she wanted to become a professional chef. It looked like her dream was going to come true when she applied and was accepted at the prestigious