Articles
Students Work with Businesses to Foster Sustainability
This past semester, students from the College of the Atlantic collaborated with two Mount Desert Island businesses, the Atlantic Brewing Company and the Acadia Corporation, to find new ways for the businesses to strengthen their environmental and economic sustainability. Owners of the two businesses said that working with the students has led to creative and
More Lobster Rope Modifications in Store
After transitioning gear from floating groundline to sinking groundline, Maine lobstermen now are bracing for a new round of rope regulations being crafted to reduce the risk of whale entanglement. Fishing stakeholders are debating with regulators about shaping new rope rules to create a balance between reducing whale entanglement risk and minimizing financial impact. There
Islesboro, North Haven Selectmen Concerned over Searsport LPG Proposal
In February, the boards of selectmen from Islesboro and North Haven wrote letters to the Maine office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to express concern over the proposed liquid propane gas terminal in Searsport and to request an Environmental Impact Study (EIS) of the project. In letters to Maine Project Officer Jay Clement,
Federal Lobster Permits Likely to be Capped
A final decision on regulations limiting access to lobster fishing in federal waters in the Gulf of Maine is expected this spring. The new rules most likely will restrict lobstering in federal waters in the Gulf of Maine (GoM) to those who have been actively catching lobster during a recent four-year period. It is not
What Role Did Recreational Fishing Have in Cod Decline?
As the New England groundfishing community absorbs the shock of the National Marine Fisheries Service cod reassessment in the Gulf of Maine, stakeholders are beginning to sift through the data for unexpected factors that might account for the diminished cod numbers. One surprise they’ve found is the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) assertion that recreational
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
BOEM Taskforce Meeting Shows Work Ahead for Offshore Wind Proposal
At a recent meeting, federal and state officials said they are just beginning to evaluate a bid for a small wind farm in deep water off Boothbay, but already many ocean stakeholders are concerned. Some environmental and fishing groups feel they don’t have a strong enough voice in the process, wind proponents say the approval
Application Submitted for Ocean Wind Energy Project South of Boothbay
On November 30, federal regulators announced they have received a completed lease application for a pilot-scale wind power project in deep water south of Boothbay. State and federal members of the Maine Task Force of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will meet to review the unsolicited request for a lease for a wind-energy project
Pesticide Charges in Canada Raise Concerns About Aquaculture
News that Canadian authorities have charged executives of the largest aquaculture company in the Northeast with illegal pesticide use has sent a shockwave through the waterfront community in both Maine and Canada. The charges, which allege that Cooke Aquaculture used a banned pesticide that caused a wave of lobster deaths in New Brunswick, have raised
Scientists Surprise Fishermen with Talk of Cod Collapse
In 2008, a NOAA assessment of the cod fishery in the Gulf of Maine gave groundfishermen cause for hope. The cod stocks, which had been heavily overfished in the 80s and 90s, were showing strong signs of recovery. Cod numbers were stronger than they had been in three decades, according to the assessment, and recovery