Whale protection, trawl limits entangle Zone C lobstermen October 9, 2018 by Stephen Rappaport on Environment, News, Waterfront DEER ISLE — October is a peak month, according to the state Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, for feistiness in Maine’s population of hornets and wasps. Lobstermen too, judging by last week’s meeting of the Zone C Lobster Management Council at Deer Isle-Stonington High School. The principal irritant is the still-simmering conflict over a …
Dead seals in Winter Harbor part of “unusual mortality event” October 3, 2018 by Maxwell Hauptman on Environment, News, Waterfront WINTER HARBOR — Two dead seals that washed ashore last month near Winter Harbor are part of what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared an “unusual mortality event” that is spreading north through the Gulf of Maine. “The first one was an adult male harbor seal spotted near the Frazer Point picnic …
Climate scientist to speak Oct. 7 September 28, 2018 by Staff on Environment, News BROOKSVILLE — As part of Reversing Falls Sanctuary’s climate awareness initiative, leading climate scientist Jeremy Jackson will be speaking on Sunday, Oct. 7, at 6:30 p.m. Jackson will share new insights gathered through interviews with citizens and scientists across the country for his best-selling book, “Breakpoint: Reckoning with America’s Environmental Crisis.” Jackson is an acclaimed …
Revived Weaver Wind project back on the radar September 28, 2018 by Kate Cough on Environment, News EASTBROOK — Representatives from Longroad Energy Partners made the rounds in Eastbrook and Osborn last week to discuss their proposal for a $140-million, 22-wind turbine project involving four Hancock County towns. The plans are a revival of a 2015 project, Weaver Wind, which the company pulled after the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife …
Ellsworth’s growth is focus of forum September 26, 2018 by Maxwell Hauptman on Environment, News ELLSWORTH — Residents concerned with sustainable development had the chance to voice their opinions last week at a public forum hosted by the Ellsworth Green Plan Steering Committee. The event involved presentations on sustainable development from Ellsworth City Planner Michele Gagnon and environmental consultant Forrest Bell. Gagnon first defined sustainable development as “development that meets …
Regulators meet to set herring limits September 25, 2018 by Stephen Rappaport on Environment, News, Waterfront ELLSWORTH — With bait prices on the rise and in short supply, the New England Fishery Management Council met in Plymouth, Mass., on Tuesday to take final action on an amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic herring. It’s a step that some lobstermen fear will prevent them from getting the bait they need …
Forum scheduled on sustainable development in Ellsworth September 11, 2018 by Staff on Environment, News ELLSWORTH — The Ellsworth Green Plan Steering Committee will be hosting a public forum on sustainable development at the Moore Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 19, starting at 6:30 p.m. This event is open and free to all. The forum will begin with two short informational presentations. David Cole, city manager for Ellsworth, will speak …
It’s too darn hot in the North Atlantic September 10, 2018 by Stephen Rappaport on Environment, News, Waterfront ELLSWORTH — The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a report last week confirming that unusually high ocean surface temperatures aren’t confined to the Gulf of Maine. According to NOAA, for several weeks, sea surface temperatures in the western North Atlantic Ocean have been running significantly above normal. Data from the agency’s polar-orbiting satellites show …
Did you buy an ash tree this summer? It could carry an invasive pest September 10, 2018 by Staff on Environment, News AUGUSTA — The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) is seeking the public’s help in locating ash trees sold by a major retailer in Maine this summer. Entomologists are concerned that they may contain emerald ash borer, a tree-killing insect that wipes out ash trees in areas where it is present. The emerald …
Gulf of Maine suffers an ocean “heat wave” September 4, 2018 by Stephen Rappaport on Environment, News, Waterfront PORTLAND — If you think this has been a hot summer on land, scientists say that the Gulf of Maine is suffering a heat wave and that could be bad news for fish populations and the fishing industry. The Gulf of Maine is one of the fastest-warming ocean ecosystems on the planet, according to scientists …
