Articles
Nobody’s pretty babies: family plant processes hagfish
“The first year, I wouldn’t even go in the building when they were processing,” said Drusilla Ray, of the product being processed, hagfish or Myxine glutinosa, better known as sea snakes or slime eels. She and her husband, Lawrence, own Cherry Point Products, Inc., in Millbridge, a company that fishes, processes, freezes, and sells sea
A glossary of lobster terms
Lobster is sold by the lb., which is spelled “lb.” rather than “pound” to differentiate between the lobster’s weight and a tidal lobster pound, which is generally a cove fenced off to hold and feed previously trapped lobster until holidays or until prices rise enough that the product can be sold to financial advantage. Lobster
Deciphering mysterious world of lobster pricing
Nobody will ever fully understand how people price lobster. That’s a given. To begin with, no matter what the boat price, i.e., the price per lb. for lobster paid to fishermen, most don’t believe they’re paid adequately for the lobster they risk their lives to land and bring back to shore to sell. Many fishermen
New sardine history museum opens in Jonesport
“Sardines are in my blood,” said Ronnie Peabody, 53, director of Jonesport’s new Maine Coast Sardine History Museum. “I grew up hearing sardine carriers and factory whistles since the day I was born.” Each of Jonesport’s then existing three sardine factories whistled to signal the change in shifts and the arrival of a load of
Family Business
Being in the same business can make for an unusual level of understanding between husband and wife, but when they and the sons of each have opposite goals, the potential for trouble can skyrocket. When Corea Lobster Cooperative manager Dwight Rodgers courted seafood buyer Ruth Goodwin, mother and business partner of one of his customers,
When fishing’s like breathing
“We’ve got all day; we’re pretty relaxed,” said captain Julie Brown Eaton as we steam away from her Stonington harbor mooring aboard her 33-year-old 30-foot Repco. An understatement if ever there was one: unlike those fishermen who insist on being on the water by dawn, she left the dock on this perfect June day at
Lobster fishermen adapt to high fuel, bait prices
“Lobstering is going to be a part-time fishery here,” predicted Deer Isle lobsterman Perley Frazier of a now year-round fishery that started as a seasonal one. “Four or five years ago, someone said the only thing that will put the lobster industry out of business is expenses.” He called the lobster back then healthy, beautiful.
A Veterinarian’s Viewpoint
Why are more lobsters dying in tidal pounds? Why is mortality increasing? Harrington fisherman, poundkeeper and Maine Lobster Pound Association (MLPA) President Bruce Portrie reported shrinkage rates in his pound and others “increased over the last three pounding seasons.” (The industry prefers the euphemism “shrinkage” to “death” or “mortality.”) In other words, each year for
Boothbay dealer “Butch” Cressey has seen it all
Ask a fisherman or dealer around Boothbay if he knows Leighton Cressey, and he’s likely to inquire if Leighton might be related to Butch. Everybody in the fishing business there knows Cressey by his nickname: he’s been in the fish and lobster business for over 40 years. Being raised in Boothbay Harbor by his grandparents
Technology, travel put Deer Isle students in touch with their ancestors
A bunch of Deer Isle teenagers are having the time of their lives, traveling here and abroad, meeting fascinating people, and learning at the same time thanks to a teacher’s idea and the Island Institute’s CREST project. Funded by the National Science Foundation, CREST stands for “Community for Rural Education, Stewardship and Technology,” and includes