After the collapse of prices paid to Maine lobstermen last October, many were hoping that this summer would bring better news. It hasn’t. The boat price paid to lobstermen is the lowest it has been since 1990. The cost of fuel, bait and other supplies is considerably higher, which means that for many lobstermen, the
Live Yankees: The Sewalls and Their Ships
In the foreword to William Bunting’s adventure-filled beguilement, Sea Struck, Llewellyn Howland III, writes: “As well as being wide-ranging and authoritative, Bunting’s text is witty and beautifully written. It is the work of a sailor-scholar for whom the sea is a source of perpetual wonder and historical research a perpetual delight.” These words could be
Parallel 44: Inflating repair costs and cruise ship benefits on Portland’s waterfront
If you’ve been following Portland waterfront politics for the past few years, you’re aware of the ongoing controversies surrounding two major pieces of public infrastructure: the old Maine State Pier and the new Ocean Gateway Terminal. Two studies released in July raise serious questions about how city officials went about justifying their development plans for
Newfoundland premier says agreement threatens fishing sovereignty
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has negotiated a new agreement with the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) and he has angered Newfoundlanders. The agreement, which is before the House of Commons, will go into place unless Canada raises objections. Critics say the proposed agreement will open Canada’s 200-mile limit to NAFO member countries, and it
Fourth annual haddock bake draws 350
On August 8 the Midcoast Fishermen’s Association (MFA) of Port Clyde, Maine held its 4th annual haddock bake at the Saint George town office. Volunteer head chefs Rhonda and Doug Anderson served a feast of haddock donated by Port Clyde Fresh Catch, topped with Maine-shrimp Newburgh sauce, served with a salad of locally grown vegetables,
New gallery presents art about working communities
Guy Saldanha stands in the second-floor room of Harbor Works Gallery in Cundy’s Harbor, talking about how the gallery started. The gallery is in Civil War-era Holbrook-Trufant house, which is part of the Holbrook Wharf complex. From the second-floor windows, you can look out at the shingled snack bar and the red sides of the
Featured Island Car: 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit
Island: Isle au Haut Vehicle: 1981 Volkswagen Rabbit Owner: Bill and Jenny Chamberlin Mileage: Odometer broken, probably less than 90,000 “This is a photo of my wife, Jenny, and me, with our 1981 VW Rabbit diesel on the Town Landing at Isle au Haut,” wrote Bill Chamberlin. “Standard procedure when arriving on island is to
Childhood lessons in self-sufficiency help Jackson teach Vinalhaven youth
It would be safe to say that Tristan Jackson, 26, developed an early understanding of self-sufficiency. At age seven, he was living with his family year-round on Green’s Island, a 400-acre island off Vinalhaven, in a building originally designed as an unheated boathouse with no running water or electricity. Living in a place like
Cranberry Report
On August 18, at the Islesford Neighborhood House, people will gather to hear their friends read poems and essays in an event known as the annual Literary Evening. Sarah Corson started this tradition 31 years ago to provide Harry Spurling with a venue for his epic recitations, when the Rockbound Grange ceased its weekly meetings.
Working waterfront celebration: “Today’s the Day I’ll Remember”
On a sunny August day at noontime, over 150 lobstermen along with their families, neighbors, state officials and working waterfront activists gathered at the Davis Wharf in Goose Cove, Tremont to celebrate the first working waterfront easement placed on a commercial fishing wharf by a Maine fishing family. It was one of the few conservation