Working Waterfront

‘The real thing’ sets coastal, island agenda

American life faced a confluence of turbulent forces in 1971. The war in Vietnam was raging, with strong opposition that sometimes resorted to domestic terrorism. The women’s rights movement was emerging, while the push for equity for African-Americans was becoming militant. And a deep worry about the state of the… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

On the record with: Steve Lyons of the Maine Office of Tourism

Steve Lyons has been with the Maine Office of Tourism since 1998, working under three directors. With the departure of Carolann Ouellette, he is now the acting director of the small office—which has just seven employees—tucked within the Department of Economic and Community Development. But there’s nothing small about the… SEE MORE

Lobster boats in Vinalhaven's Carver's Harbor.

Working Waterfront

Lobster union buys processing facility

The Maine Lobstering Union’s recent $4 million purchase of the Seal Point Lobster Company, a wholesale lobster distribution business in Lamoine, is expected to net union members a share of the profits to be had throughout the entire supply chain, from trap to plate. But the purchase is about more… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Warmer waters pushing northern shrimp out of Gulf of Maine

By Susie Arnold, Ph. D. and Heather Deese, Ph. D. This winter was the fourth consecutive year of a moratorium on fishing for northern shrimp. Management of the fishery remains a subject of discussion. The small, sweet northern shrimp are an Arctic species, and are at the southernmost extent of… SEE MORE

Jim Harkins among his store of nautical gear.

Working Waterfront

Captain Jim’s in Portland is maritime world’s back storeroom

It’s hard to get a fix on just what Jim Harkins has going in his Portland warehouse. Is it a nautical-themed flea market? A maritime museum? A high-end nautical antique store? A kind of Goodwill store for boat owners? Well, it’s all of the above. Harkins, 57, is a character… SEE MORE

Students hold a “blade” of kelp they’ve grown.

Working Waterfront

This teacher treats his students like research assistants

In his classroom at the Edna Drinkwater School in Northport, John Van Dis asks questions before he knows their answers. It’s an unusual approach for a teacher to take, but for a science teacher, it makes sense. Van Dis believes his grade 6 and 7 students should learn the way… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

An international trade deal that matters to Maine

The past four years have been rife with good news for the Maine lobster industry, as we’ve seen both the volume of the catch and prices paid to fishermen increase. In 2016, Maine lobstermen caught a record 130 million pounds for which they earned a record $533 million. Key to… SEE MORE

Students at the Landing School in Arundel

Working Waterfront

Boatyards: The jobs are waiting

This is the third and final installment in a three-part series about the role boat builders and boatyards play in Maine’s coastal and island economy. Boatyards and marinas provide more than 2,000 jobs and add over $1 billion a year to Maine’s coastal economy. They are blending tradition with… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Shrimp future remains cloudy

The continued closure of Maine’s shrimp fishery puts a strain on some of the state’s fishermen, but is having little impact on Maine’s restaurants, where the local seafood had been a winter favorite with customers. “It has not been a big impact on them because I think that restaurants, in… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

A school for ‘that kid who just wants to work on the water’

There’s a lot of work to be done before it opens its doors, but Eric Jergenson likes to point out that the Maine Ocean School already exists. No, it’s not a figment of his imagination—the public, magnet high school was established by state law in the last legislative session. By… SEE MORE