Working Waterfront

Collins offers working waterfront bill

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins and Jack Reed have introduced the Working Waterfront Preservation Act. This bipartisan bill would help preserve access for fishermen and maritime workers to the waterfronts in coastal communities, supporting the commercial fishing, aquaculture, boatbuilding, and for-hire recreational fishing industries that are so vital to the culture,… SEE MORE

Kelly Hinkle, right, who posts to social media as the Downeast Cowboy, with his father. PHOTO: CHERYL CLEGG

Working Waterfront

TikTok brings Maine fisheries to the world

TikTok brings Maine fisheries to the world—‘Downeast Cowboy’ and others stream while they work SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Blue crabs on the rise in Maine waters

[caption id="attachment_38937" align="alignleft" width="300"] After trapping blue crabs in the New Meadows River, Manomet’s Jessie Batchelder tags the crustaceans before releasing them. PHOTO: COURTESY MANOMET[/caption] Blue crabs are expanding their range into the warming waters of the Gulf of Maine, raising questions about their long-term impact on other marine species… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

Fish are shrinking in size, according to new study

University of Maine ecology professor Brian McGill helped discover that the average body sizes of fish are shrinking as part of an international project with 16 other researchers. The team, led by University of York macroecologist Inês Martins, analyzed the body size trends of numerous plants and animals worldwide from… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

The late Ted Hoskins understood fishermen

The following is an edited version of remarks by Robin Alden about Rev. Ted Hoskins’ work in fisheries in Maine and across the globe, spoken at his memorial service on Sept. 10 in Blue Hill. After years leading churches and social justice efforts in Connecticut, Hoskins was minister on the… SEE MORE

Linda Norton’s “Belfast Harbor Tug” (1999), watercolor on paper 21 by 29 inches (now in a private collection).

Working Waterfront

Linda Norton’s red tugboat

When Linda Norton (1943-2018) moved to Camden in the late 1990s, she was returning to childhood haunts. She had spent summers there with her grandparents and had a deep attachment to the town. Born and brought up in Portland, Conn., after graduating from high school Norton spent time in England… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

‘Hub of marine research excellence’ planned in Harpswell

This story first appeared in The Anchor, a nonprofit newspaper and website covering the Harpswell community. It is reprinted with permission and gratitude. The Quahog Bay Conservancy plans to transform the former Quahog Bay Inn in Harpswell into a “hub of marine research excellence” and revitalize the property’s working waterfront.… SEE MORE

Four images by renowned photographer Kosti Ruohomaa, shooting for the Maine Sardine Council. PHOTOS: PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM

Working Waterfront

From weir to can

In 1951, the Maine Sardine Council hired Finnish American Kosti Ruohomaa to document the sardine industry. The Maine Legislature created the council that year to promote high standards for the sardine industry and made it responsible for grading and inspections as well. The sardine industry was complex; one photo could… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

When settling in, home comes in small moments

Reflections is written by Island Institute Fellows, recent college grads who do community service work on Maine islands and in coastal communities through the Island Institute, publisher of The Working Waterfront. After three days of orientation as a new Island Institute Fellow, I hit the streets—the main street of Blue… SEE MORE

Working Waterfront

When Vinalhaven had (lots of) fish

When the Island Had Fish: The Remarkable Story of a Maine Fishing Community By Janna Malamud Smith (DownEast Books, 2023) I’ve been talking about When the Island Had Fish: The Remarkable Story of a Maine Fishing Community on Vinalhaven with everyone I know. Even at a recent funeral. The story… SEE MORE