Three-hundred-acre Hog Island, long a Maine study center for serious birders, has been losing money for years and is on the brink of having new owners. But a dedicated group of birders called Friends of Hog Island hopes to raise enough money to keep it in Audubon hands. A deal seemed imminent until the Friends
Ruth Moore Remembered
Most of all, Ruth Moore, who died in 1989, was a wonderful storyteller, which is how her niece Muriel Davisson remembers her. Muriel grew up in a house near Ruth and her partner, Eleanor Mayo, overlooking Bass Harbor on Mount Desert Island. As a child, Muriel, who now lives in Ruth’s house, remembers how she
Are salmon pen pesticides killing lobsters?
Are pesticides used to kill sea lice in Bay of Fundy salmon pens also killing lobsters? The Fundy North Fishermen’s Association (FNFA), based in St. Andrews, New Brunswick, believes they are, according to Sheena Young, FNFA program director. But the Atlantic Canada Fish Farmers Association (ACFFA), based in, Letang, New Brunswick, maintains that the lobsters
The Green Hardhat
It is undoubtedly more than just a coincidence that within the space of a few short weeks, Forbes magazine ranked Maine 50th among states as the worst business environment in the U.S. and then voters turned out of office many of the state’s political leaders and ushered in a new wave of politicians who have
Squid Day
When new Matinicus Island Elementary teacher Dave Duncan first considered a saltwater aquarium for his classroom, he was initially looking for suggestions and perhaps donations of old fish-tank equipment. Duncan contacted the Maine State Aquarium, a branch of the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), to discuss the necessary permit required to possess an undersized lobster.
Community orchestra draws praise
The Passamaquoddy Bay Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Trond Saeverud, is a community orchestra by most measures, but after their recent performance in Eastport, many would agree that this community music-group it is a cut above. One audience member spontaneously announced on his way out, “Why go to New York?” Perhaps it was the guest
Open Letter to the Readers of The Working Waterfront
Recently the Island Institute’s role in the Fox Islands Wind project has been questioned by some of the wind farm neighbors and others in various media reports. It might be of interest to readers of The Working Waterfront to understand the role the Island Institute has been asked to fulfill in this project. More than
An acid test for fisheries
The oceans cover 70 percent of Earth. At the surface, the ocean and the overlying air continually exchange energy and chemicals. Anything humans put into the atmosphere eventually ends up in the ocean, including carbon dioxide. Ocean uptake or “storage” accounts for approximately one-third of the carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere in modern times.
An unlikely dream, RawFaith sinks with no loss of life
The strange and sad saga of a three-masted galleon came to an abrupt end on Dec. 8, 2010, when the RawFaith sank in 6,000 feet of water, 100 miles southeast of Nantucket. The owner-builder, George McKay, 53, was rescued by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter, along with one crew member, before the vessel foundered. The
The opportunity of disaster
Kruse lived in a place where, like Maine, tourism and fishing are major forces. What does it mean when disaster-either natural or unnatural-befalls a place that depends so heavily on the surrounding environment? Gulf Coast residents and Louisianans especially have a fierce, almost defiant, sense of place that is tied to the land and the