Articles
Municipal fish piers face tougher times
Along the Maine waterfront there are a number of municipally owned docking, berthing, unloading and service facilities dedicated to the commercial fishing industry. In these times of declining fish stocks, ever-changing regulations, and rising pressures for recreational and non-marine uses of waterfront property, some of these fish piers have been facing uneasy and threatened futures.
Monhegan elects assessors, passes budget
Monhegan residents gathered April 16 for their annual plantation meeting. The election of First Assessor presented some obstacles, with the first seven nominees declining to run. At one point it was humorously suggested that instead of a First, Second, and Third Assessor, perhaps they should elect Second, Third, and Fourth Assessors. In the end Daniel
Two Directions: One Monhegan fisherman buys into groundfishing; another sells his permit
As potential new cutbacks threaten the groundfish fishery in Maine this spring, most fishermen see the future of the industry as bleak. A few others, however, see enough potential for future growth to view this as a good time to invest. Monhegan Island, a community founded by fishermen and almost entirely supported in centuries past
North Haven takes electric car to Tour de Sol
North Haven Community School students have been working nights and weekends in a barn on the island for over a year putting together an electric car, and their handiwork will soon get a trial by fire as the vehicle participates in the 400-mile, five-day Tour de Sol. Under the direction of science teacher John Dieter,
Dredge committee wraps it up
A document reviewing state dredging procedures and making recommendations for future dredge disposal is nearing completion, and may help citizens and communities in navigating the twisty processes of dredging regulations affecting local construction and harbor projects. Dredging procedures affect both public and private projects, from the recent deepening of Portland harbor to individual fishing piers.
Lessons from the henhouse: In a world of diseases, penned salmon and confined poultry commonalities
In a story of worldwide significance, foot and mouth disease spreads through Britain, and thousands upon thousands of farm animals are slaughtered. Farmers lose fortunes, millions are spent on economic relief and mitigation, and pundits question the very underlying principles of industrialized, contained animal husbandry. This is a true story from 2001, but the headlines
Great Waters: An Atlantic Passage
In this book, Deborah Cramer sought to take the view we are all familiar with, that of our own bay or cove stretching out horizontally to a not-too-distant horizon, and to expand our viewpoints both higher and deeper enough to carry that view out across and down into the whole Atlantic. This ocean, with the
Canned, A History of the Sardine Industry, Part I
This comprehensive history of sardine packing plants along the Maine and Fundy coasts is the second effort of New Brunswick author John Gillman. His first book, Masts and Masters, a Brief History of SardineCarriers and Boatmen, dealt with the vessels that carried the herring to the plants, and with this book about the plants themselves
Sea of Heartbreak
The full title of this book is Sea of Heartbreak: An Extra-ordinary Account of a Newfoundland Fishing Voyage This grim account of a 1998 turbot (halibut) gillnet fishing trip in northern Canadian waters is a condemnation of the “shocking systematic waste, destruction, and undeniable cruelty” associated with this industry. The author is not of the
A Change of Course: New ruling could alter groundfish management
This latest indictment of fisheries management could indicate that the current regulatory plan and structure are effectively unable to deal with the issues, and potentially opens the door to alternative management directions. On Dec. 28 the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) had failed to