Storm Response — Thurston's Lobster Pound
Thurston’s Lobster Pound, a fifth generation year-round lobster buyer and retailer in Bass Harbor, was dramatically impacted by the flooding event caused by the storm on January 10, 2024. Island Institute awarded the waterfront business with a grant to help them recover.
Island Institute’s response to the storm was targeted around working waterfronts that were damaged and that serve as a critical access point to many fishermen:
- $250,000 to 52 businesses including Thurston’s Lobster Pound
- Rapid response and dissemination of awards designed to keep businesses operational
- Awards helped businesses invest in replacing and repairing working waterfront infrastructure like damaged docks and floats.
“We at Thurston’s Lobster Pound are very thankful for the assistance provided to us and how quickly the Institute created a pathway for us to receive the funding.”
– Derek Lapointe, General Manager at Thurston’s Lobster Pound
Thurston’s Lobster Pound serves as an asset to the Bass Harbor community and to the fishing fleet. They buy lobster from 22 lobster boats (each its own small business), provide bait and fuel for the fishermen, and operate a seasonal restaurant business that sells local seafood.
It can be challenging to find resources to support construction projects in the wake of disasters like the January storm. General manager Derek Lapointe recalls that Island Institute was the first organization to reach out to support his business. The Tremont town manager received an email from Island Institute just days after the storm that outlined the resources Island Institute had available. They forwarded that email to Lapointe, and he immediately applied for a Business Resilience Grant, part of a special post-storm expansion of the program. They were soon thereafter awarded money to put towards their recovery efforts.
Lumber was the most immediate expense for the lobster pound because they needed to rebuild sections of their wharf to remain operational. During the winter months, it can be difficult to find money to put towards unexpected expenses because there is no revenue coming in. The Island Institute grant was a welcome relief. Lapointe expresses hope that the wharf will be fully operational for the upcoming busy fishing season, but he anticipates that their construction projects will continue into the summer.
Thurston’s Lobster Pound is home to some of the oldest structures on Bass Harbor, some of them dating back to 1865. Many of their wharves and buildings have withstood every storm event for over 150 years, but this storm challenged Thurston’s Lobster Pound in unprecedented ways. Lapointe notes that storm surges are increasing, and facing the task of rebuilding an entire wharf, he believes it is time to shore up and rebuild stronger.
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