Articles
Fathoming: Oil in the Gulf of Mexico: Not as far away as you think
Hundreds of sea turtles, more than sixty porpoises and a sperm whale have been found dead in the Gulf of Mexico region since the BP oil disaster began. As of mid-July, an area of almost 84,000 square miles, over one-third of the Gulf of Mexico, was closed to fishing. While the impacts of the spill
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
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
Returning alewives to North Haven
Years ago, when Adam Campbell first moved to North Haven, he heard stories about folks like John Emerson and Foy Brown, who went down to the Damariscotta River to get alewives and brought them back across Penobscot Bay to try to jump-start a population of the anadromous or “sea-run” fish on the island. While those
Fathoming: Tiny plankton, big problems
This article is made possible, in part, by funds from Maine Sea Grant and the Oak Foundation. Summer is just around the corner, and that has clammers, shellfish growers and seafood-shack proprietors worried about red tide. Meanwhile, offshore in the Gulf of Maine, teams of scientists are working around the clock, collecting water samples from
Signs of stewardship on Sears Island
If you are familiar with Sears Island, but haven’t been there in a while, you will notice some subtle changes next time you visit. The entrance gate looks a bit cleaner; the concrete barriers and chain-link fence are still there, but so is a port-a-potty, a dog waste baggie dispenser and several trash barrels. There
Fathoming: The baitfish bet: Hedging on herring, pondering pogies
This article is made possible, in part, by funds from Maine Sea Grant and the Oak Foundation. Rumors of their arrival ripple along the docks and across the surface of bays and estuaries. Fishing boats head out to the offshore ledges and banks searching for herring. Enthusiasts of all ages head down to the wharf
Fathoming: What we know about rockweed
This article is made possible, in part, by funds from Maine Sea Grant and the Oak Foundation. In the last several years, Acadian Seaplants Limited (Nova Scotia), has expanded their rockweed harvesting into Maine, stimulating new regulations from Maine’s Department of Marine Resources and raising old and new questions about potential impacts of commercial-scale harvesting.
Fathoming: What are the marine impacts of offshore wind turbines?
Editor’s note: We’re introducing a new feature called Fathoming. These articles will explore scientific topics pertinent to Maine’s coastal waters. The articles are made possible, in part, by funds from Maine Sea Grant. Today there aren’t any wind turbines off Maine’s coast, but there may be in the next few years.åÊ Maine is actively pursuing
Maine sets sail to be wind energy leader
Summer began with Maine leaders asserting the state’s leadership on renewable energy issues, attracting an international ocean energy industry conference to Rockport and ushering in new rules for ocean energy development. Over 450 alternative energy developers, scientists and policymakers from around the world were in Rockport from June 16-18 to talk about wind and tide