Each spring, when lobstermen set out traps at the beginning of a new season, the chatter is what the year will bring when all is said and done in December. Few expect that this year could be as good as last year. In case you forgot or were not paying attention, the total volume of
The State of the Islands
A number of years ago, a great friend of the Maine islands whose wife had once worked at Forbes magazine—which regularly compiles lists of things capitalist and commercial—suggested the Island Institute compile a list of island attributes that could serve as an objective yardstick to detect trends from which policy and collective attention might flow.
Green Fish Entrepreneurs
The first, and sometimes the only, thing people think they know about Maine fishermen, and especially island fishermen, is how fiercely they resist change. Like all truisms, this view vastly oversimplifies a more complicated reality. Of course, those whose lives are closest to the edge—whether that edge is geographical, economic or political—are more vulnerable to
Flu Outbreak Thought to have Caused Seal Deaths
In a three-month span this fall, 146 seals have been found dead along New England shores and in the Gulf of Maine, more than three times the average. Wildlife officials have been scrambling to determine the cause for the recent mortality spike; NOAA has declared the rash of deaths an Unusual Mortality Event. Now, after
Rockland Maine’s Tidal Turn
John Bird, a Rockland native, educator and businessman, has written and published a book that chronicles the “renaissance” of Rockland, as the phenomenon of transformation of Shore Village from a fishing capital to an arts center is often called. Bird starts with a timeline tracing the city’s history from George Weymouth’s first exploration of the
Go with the Flow
It didn’t take Chuck Friedman long to discover the possibilities of using sailcloth for items other than boats. After working with the fabric for years as a sail maker and sailing enthusiast, he started taking pieces of scrap fabric home to create wallets or bags as presents for friends. Fast forward six years and Chuck
What the World Could Be
Recently, I had two different and thoughtful individuals ask me the same question about Maine’s islands, which essentially was: In the great scheme of things, do Maine island communities really matter? Or phrased slightly differently, with so many communities in Maine, in America and around the world in such desperate shape, why direct so much
Northern Shrimp Quota Halved
The northern shrimp-fishing industry has experienced boom times recently, with high prices, a robust stock and few regulations. Judging by the new restrictions for the upcoming shrimping season, these good times appear to be over. On October 28, regulators with the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission imposed new restrictions for the upcoming shrimping season, including
Domestic Field Notes
He knew better. But he was tired. As if that were an excuse. It was bedtime at the end of a long day when the field naturalist’s wife announced that there was a rodent in the bedroom, which they were going to have to catch before they could climb into bed. Such are the portents
Outer-Island Schools Launch Inter-Island Student Council
Elementary students from remote island schools up and down the coast are voting this month for a slate of officers for their first inter-island student council. In the words of Monhegan eighth grader Dalton, “This is the first time we have ever done something like this between the islands. This is truly a historic moment