A boat underway powered by an electric outboard in Bristol, R.I. PHOTO: JACK SULLIVAN

Working Waterfront

Fast-forward: Electric outboards are here

Aboard a rigid inflatable boat traveling upwards of 40 knots, experiencing acceleration I’d previously associated with drag racing, it was clear the electric motors at Flux Marine in Bristol, R.I. pack a punch. The goal of my visit was to shoot photos and videos of the outboard motors in action,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Hosting a lobster party for a cause

On July 8 I received an e-mail from the Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA) asking if Bruce and I knew someone who would be interested in hosting an informative fundraising cocktail party on Islesford in August. The federal government is threatening the Maine lobster fishing industry with escalating regulations that will… SEE MORE

Lobster landing in Vinalhaven. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Pay attention to women-owned businesses

I daydream about becoming a farmer. My vegetable garden last year would warn against it, and this year I didn’t even try to grow a tomato plant in a pot. Instead, I daydream of working on the water, farming scallops. I want to be an aquaculturist in my next life… SEE MORE

Tammy McPhail serves some breakfast customers at the WaCo Diner.

Working Waterfront

Nothing wacky about this diner

Eastport's WaCo Diner claims to be the oldest in Maine. SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A better way to do tourism

Historically, the Office of Tourism focused its attention on advertising and marketing, enticing people to fill our hotels and enjoy everything Maine had to offer. This strategy has worked very successfully, spurring growth in visitation and spending and one of the nation’s most robust tourism recoveries following the pandemic. But… SEE MORE

From left, Curt Brown, Casco Bay lobsterman Steve Train, Sen. Angus King, Luke Holden of Luke’s Lobster, Gov. Janet Mills, and Department of Marine Resources Commission Patrick Keliher. PHOTO: SAM BELKNAP

Working Waterfront

Officials, industry respond to lobster red listing

Luke Holden, founder and CEO of Luke’s Lobster was joined by Sen. Angus King, Gov. Janet Mills, Department of Marine Resources Commissioner Patrick Keliher, Casco Bay lobsterman Steve Train, and Curt Brown of Ready Seafood at Luke’s Lobster’s Portland restaurant on Friday, Sept. 10 to respond to the recent “red… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Fermented fun in Damariscotta

Story and Photos by Kelli Park A hard kombucha brewery in Damariscotta has been doing more than serving drinks in its first year of business—Maine Booch Brewing has become a community gathering place for the younger generation. “My upstairs neighbor calls it ‘the back porch of Damariscotta,’” says Chauncey Erskine,… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Will innovation save lobstering?

The concept of innovation tends to inspire images of bio-geneticists tinkering with DNA to create cancer-resistant cells. But sometimes, innovation comes in decidedly low-tech form. I attended the every-other-year Beaches Conference in June, and one of the presenters showed slides of how the town of York dealt with perennial ocean… SEE MORE

Bait bins sit on a pier in Cutler. FILE PHOTO: TOM GROENING

Working Waterfront

Report: Lobster remains a responsibly harvested species

The harvesting of lobster in Maine and beyond “continue[s] to meet the criteria of our Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested program,” the Portland-based nonprofit Gulf of Maine Research Institute asserts in a report issued in September. The report aims for a science-based approach in analyzing the clash between federal protection… SEE MORE

A worker at the Portland Fish Exchange sorts fish. PHOTO: MICHELE STAPLETON

Working Waterfront

Fishing for a solution

Scores of hard-plastic crates filled with ice-covered fresh fish sit on the floor of the Portland Fish Exchange, ready for inspection before the bounty is auctioned in lots to the highest bidders. The fish comes from eight boats that brought their catches of cod, haddock, monkfish, grey sole, and other… SEE MORE