In following the rollercoaster of how new regulations designed to protect the North Atlantic right whale will impact Maine’s lobster fishery and the communities the industry supports, two recent announcements stuck out to me. One … Continue reading
Time Once Again For the Maine Fishermen’s Forum!
Next month fishermen, regulators, scientists, students and many others involved in New England’s diverse fisheries will gather at the Samoset Resort in Rockport for the 45th Maine Fishermen’s Forum. As ever, the three-day event will … Continue reading
West Coast Fishermen Sue Oil Companies for Climate Change Damages
Fishermen waited until December for permission to catch Dungeness crabs off California’s northernmost coast this season — and they want oil companies to pay for the delay. State officials have postponed the start of the … Continue reading
Focus on Communication Key for DMR Commissioner
Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Commissioner Patrick Keliher, 52, chooses his words carefully. Carefully, that is, until he gets excited about his topic. “I love this job!” he said emphatically during a recent interview. Fortunately, … Continue reading
Maine Climate Report Forecasts Changes In Coming Years
University of Maine climate researchers’ new report Coastal Maine Climate Futures documents relationships between regional weather patterns over North America, Maine weather, blueberry crops, and lobster catch. It also identifies the way that the Arctic, … Continue reading
Guest Column: Lobster stock assessment will consider climate change
This year, the American Lobster Technical Committee will begin work on the next benchmark stock assessment for lobster. The Technical Committee (TC), which is comprised of state biologists and federal scientists, is scheduled to meet … Continue reading
What Happens When Change Comes to the Ocean?
Anyone who has enjoyed body surfing in the ocean understands the notion of a tipping point. There you are, paddling your body through the water as fast as you can on the swell of a … Continue reading
Guest Column: Ocean acidification Q & A
Richard Nelson, a Friendship lobsterman who serves on Maine’s Ocean Acidification Commission, was contacted by Emily Zaleski, a high school sophomore from New Hampshire, who had questions about the impact of ocean acidification in the … Continue reading
Lobstermen on front lines of climate change
First published in Landings, December, 2015. For generations, Maine men and women have proudly hauled lobster from the coastal waters of our state so that it can be enjoyed across the globe. In that time, … Continue reading
Nasty neighbors, bad food and lousy accommodations
The complete version of the article was first presented at the “American Lobster in a Changing Ecosystem” symposium, held on Prince Edward Island in November, 2015. Reprinted in Landings, December, 2015, with permission. Anyone working … Continue reading