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March 24
Another view on aquaculture conflicts
Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage wants unbiased discussion
The opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of Island Institute, the publisher of The Working Waterfront Yes, please, let’s have an honest conversation about aquaculture (as the op-ed by Benjamin Ford of the law firm Archipelago argued in the April/May issue of The Working Waterfront). Protect Maine’s Fishing Heritage agrees—it's time to have an honest conversation about aquaculture,…
March 21
LD 1 would help coastal towns prepare
State office needed to coordinate storm response
To support this effort and align it with the state’s climate initiatives, Island Institute leveraged the Governor’s Office of Policy, Innovation, and the Future’s Community Resilience Partnership (CRP) opportunity, which provides individualized vulnerability assessments for community projects.
March 21
Massachusetts pilots culvert-replacement project
Preventing damaging saltwater incursions is the aim
New Englanders may only think about culverts when they fail. Often, we don’t know a road even has a culvert until it has collapsed or is dammed with sediment, causing…
March 21
A YEAR LATER—Waterfront business owners reflect on storms
Rebuilding efforts focus on higher, stronger
“That afternoon, all the fishermen showed up to help,” Chipman recalled, a theme among the panelists, crediting the larger community with assisting in stabilizing the properties.
March 20
The cost of Maine scallops
Season, catch are limited, conditions dangerous
Dayboat scallopers have a short harvest season. Starting usually during the first week of December, the season extends until about the middle of April. Scallopers are restricted to fishing only 50 to 60 days during that four-month period...
March 19
Listening for leadership
The qualities needed often are quiet and subtle
I don’t see many leaders. I see individuals running organizations and businesses, chairing committees and boards of directors, but just because they sit in the chair at the head of…
March 19
Hopeful persistence
Island Institute’s values align with a changing world
It is important every now and again for an organization to test its values. The process reinvigorates the idea that how an organization works is as important as what it…
March 18
Camden’s dam problem
Analysis recommends removal, but voters have final say
In June, voters in the town of Camden will decide the fate of the iconic Montgomery Dam, located in the coastal community’s bustling downtown just above where the Megunticook River…
March 18
When the Maine coast was ‘Sardineland’
Penobscot Marine Museum gathers worker stories
In the mid-20th century, there were some 75 sardine canneries operating along the Maine coast, so calling the region “sardine land” wouldn’t be hyperbole. The Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport…
March 17
Hancock County housing report a complex picture
Short-term rentals dominate, a third work in retail, food service
A study of housing in Hancock County turned up what one would expect—too few houses available for entry level buyers and a dearth of rental housing for the same population.…
Island Postcards
EPISODE 10: Keep the Light Shining
Two ambitious young women swam around the entire Island of Isle au Haut during the summer of 2019 to raise money for crucial renovations to the lighthouse.
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